1. Hepatitis
Liver Disease

2. What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is a liver disease, meaning “inflammation of the liver”.
Hepatitis can be either acute or chronic. Acute hepatitis is inflammation of the liver lasting less than 6 months. Chronic hepatitis is inflammation lasting longer than 6 months.
There are several different types of hepatitis. The most common forms of viral hepatitis are A, B, & C.
Obesity, alcohol abuse, toxins or misused prescriptions and “over the counter” medications can also cause symptoms of liver inflammations; however, this type of hepatitis is not contagious.

3. Symptoms of Hepatitis
All types of hepatitis have similar symptoms and can include one or more of the following:
Jaundice
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Fever
Fatigue
Joint pain
Loss of appetite
Gray-colored bowel
movements

4. Types of Hepatitis: A-B-C
Transmission: Ingestion of contaminated food or drinks, or fecal matter (microscopic amounts); sexual contact with infected individual
Hepatitis B
Transmission: Coming in contact with infected fluids: blood, semen, other body fluid- via shared sharps, needles, sexual contact, birth from infected mother
Hepatitis C
Transmission: Primarily from contact with infected person’s blood through contaminated needles/syringes

5. Viral Hepatitis - Overview
Types of Hepatitis A B C
Sources of Virus
feces
blood/blood-derived body fluids
Route of Transmission
fecal/oral
percutaneous permucosal
Chronic Infection no
yes
Prevention
pre/post-exposure immunization
Blood donor screening; risk behavior modification

6. Protect Against Hepatitis
Preventative Actions
Practicing good sanitation and hygiene.
Avoid contaminated food and water, especially when traveling in countries where hepatitis A is common.
Do not share personal care items like razors or toothbrushes that may have blood on them.
Avoid injecting drugs if possible.
Never share needles or syringes.
Be cautious and consider risks of getting tattoos and body piercings.
Do not donate blood, organs, or tissue if you have hepatitis.
Vaccination
Take advantage of vaccination opportunities. This is the best way to protect against the hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses.
Hepatitis B vaccine is usually given in a series of three/four shots given over 6- month period.

7. WorkPlace Precautions/Care
Use universal precautions for dealing with bloodborne
pathogens such as HIV, Hepatitis C & Hepatitis B.
Use personal protective equipment when cleaning a
contaminated area:
Always wear gloves when handling any
infected/contaminated objects; one time use only!
Decontamination:
Clean the area thoroughly with disinfectant and discard of gloves without allowing the substance to touch the skin.
Wash hands immediately following decontamination:
Use liquid soap and warm water
Wash vigorously for at least sec
Use a paper towel to turn off faucet
Proper disposal of contaminated items:
Double bag contaminated items and place in
designated trash- usually biohazard container

8. Sources