Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver. The term hepatitis is most often used in conjunction with viral hepatitis, but the disease can also be caused by bacteria or toxic injury to the liver. It should be noted that whether hepatitis is bacterial, viral, or toxic, this disease can result in post necrotic cirrhosis, unless the hepatitis responds to treatment. Viral hepatitis is by far the most important liver infection and is a major health problem in the United States. The term viral hepatitis is used to refer several similar diseases but are etiologically and epidemiologically distinct infections (Lewis, 2011). There are five major categories of hepatitis: hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis
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There are approximately 43,000 new cases of hepatitis B each year in the United States. Approximately 5,000 people will die each year from hepatitis B and its complications, and 1 health care worker dies each day from hepatitis B (Hepatitis B Foundation, 2014). Some other determinants that have an impact on a higher rate of hepatitis are people who live in overcrowded or unsanitary conditions, people who emigrate from other countries that have high rates of hepatitis, people who travel to countries where there are higher rates of hepatitis B, IV drug users, multiple sex partners, Alaska natives, and health care workers (Smith, 2009). Beginning in the 1990s the incidence of hepatitis B has decreased because of the widespread use of the HBV vaccine. Today there are approximately one and a quarter million Americans that are chronically ill with HBV and 20 to 30 percent acquired the infection during childhood. Of all the forms of hepatitis, hepatitis B not only can become chronic but also can be associated with acute fulminating hepatitis which is characterized by massive hepatic necrosis (Lewis, …show more content…
There is no specific treatment for acute viral hepatitis. For many people the disease is self-limiting and will resolve. But for some individuals, the progression of hepatitis B can become chronic. For chronic hepatitis the treatment is directed at suppressing the virus replication before irreversible liver damage occurs. Antiviral therapies are used in treating hepatitis B (Lewis, 2011). Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than the AIDS virus, but there is a safe and effective vaccine available that is administered with three injections over a six month period. For the people who are already infected with hepatitis B, the vaccine will not be effective and is of no use (Hepatitis B Foundation,
There are approximately 43,000 new cases of hepatitis B each year in the United States. Approximately 5,000 people will die each year from hepatitis B and its complications, and 1 health care worker dies each day from hepatitis B (Hepatitis B Foundation, 2014). Some other determinants that have an impact on a higher rate of hepatitis are people who live in overcrowded or unsanitary conditions, people who emigrate from other countries that have high rates of hepatitis, people who travel to countries where there are higher rates of hepatitis B, IV drug users, multiple sex partners, Alaska natives, and health care workers (Smith, 2009). Beginning in the 1990s the incidence of hepatitis B has decreased because of the widespread use of the HBV vaccine. Today there are approximately one and a quarter million Americans that are chronically ill with HBV and 20 to 30 percent acquired the infection during childhood. Of all the forms of hepatitis, hepatitis B not only can become chronic but also can be associated with acute fulminating hepatitis which is characterized by massive hepatic necrosis (Lewis, …show more content…
There is no specific treatment for acute viral hepatitis. For many people the disease is self-limiting and will resolve. But for some individuals, the progression of hepatitis B can become chronic. For chronic hepatitis the treatment is directed at suppressing the virus replication before irreversible liver damage occurs. Antiviral therapies are used in treating hepatitis B (Lewis, 2011). Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than the AIDS virus, but there is a safe and effective vaccine available that is administered with three injections over a six month period. For the people who are already infected with hepatitis B, the vaccine will not be effective and is of no use (Hepatitis B Foundation,