Hepatitis

It is an inflammation of the liver due to several factors or to toxic substances, such as alcohol, drugs, certain chemicals, viruses and other microbes.
The viral hepatites are also transmitted sexually. The main viruses that cause hepatitis are viruses A, B and C.
The important thing is the ability to vaccinate against the virus types A and B.

How is it transmitted?

Hepatitis A:
- Through contaminated food and beverages (raw seafood, fruit and contaminated vegetables and not washed).
- Common use of contaminated utensils.
- Sexual Practices involving the mouth and anus or hands (rimming, fisting, fingering).
Hepatitis B:
- Through sexual relations of any kind (oral, anal and vaginal).
- Through the exchange of personal hygiene items (toothbrushes, razors).
- Through the exchange of used syringes.
- Through the exchange of contaminated sex toys.
- During the execution of tattoos or body piercing, using unsterilised and contaminated equipment from the blood of other people.
- The deep and prolonged kiss may be a possible vehicle of infection.
- Through the transmission of the virus from mother to child during childbirth.
Hepatitis C:
- Hepatitis C has a lower probability of being transmitted through sexual contact
- The virus is transmitted primarily through blood exchange, but not by skin contact.

What are the symptoms?

Hepatitis A:
Often no symptoms appear. Other times we assist to fever, nausea or vomiting, fatigue,, pale stools, a yellowing of the eyes or skin called "jaundice", dark-colored urine, pain in the right abdomen that can spread to the back.
Hepatitis B:
The symptoms are mostly similar to those of hepatitis A. In more rare cases Hepatitis B has a course called "Fulminans" and in a few days we encounter coma and death (what happens in one out of a thousand).
Hepatitis C:
70% of people infected with this virus have no symptoms; when they appear, they are the same as hepatitis A or B.

What are the complications?

The Hepatitis A never becomes chronic, and in most cases does not need any treatment.
In the case of Hepatitis B, about 10% of persons become chronic lifetime carrier and, consequently, contagious sexually. With the passage of time you may have chronic inflammation that can develop into liver cirrhosis.
Hepatitis C becomes chronic in most cases and this can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

How is it diagnosed?

Through special laboratory tests (requiring a blood sample).

How is it treated?

Hepatitis A always heals, except in rare cases when it comes to liver transplant or death.
For chronic forms of hepatitis B and C, there are currently of care with special antiviral drugs (interferon and ribavirin).

How to prevent it?

For hepatitis A and B there is a preventive vaccine. As for the type C it is not yet possible to get vaccinated. The golden rules remain the same: protected sexual intercourse and avoid sharing needles.