Hepatitis Virus

5 types at least of hepatitis viruses can cause the desease,other virusis as infectious mononucleosis,yallow fever,herpes simplex and cytomegalo-virus can cause acute hepatitis.

Presentation:

Hepatitis A Virus(HAV):
-Infections:foecal-oral and rarely parenteral
-Sporadic or in epidemics
-People at risk are those living in or traveling to areas with bad sanitation
-Mainly in chieldren and young adults
-Incubation period:2-8 weeks
-Acute stage;usully mild
-No cronicity and not related to hepatrocellular carcinoma
-Prophylaxis:Vaccination or immunoglobulinis.

Hepatitis B Virus(HBV):
-Infection:parenteral,sexual and from mother to baby
-Cases are sporadic
-People at risk are haemophiliacs and haemolytic:anemia patients,drug abusers,homosexuals and prostitutes,doctors and nurses,babies born to HBsAg positiv mother and people living in the Middle east,Africa or South East Asia.
-Occurs at any age
-Incubation period:4-24 weeks
-Acute stage:Usully severe
-May lead to chronic complication and hepatocellular carcinoma
-Prophylaxis:specific immunoglobulinis and vaccination.

Hepatitis C Virus(HCV):
-Infection:post transfusion and parenteral
-sporadic
-Age usually above 16 yeras old
-Incubation period:4-24 weeks
-Acute stage:usually mild or unnoticed
-Most of the cases become chronic
-It is frequent association with hepatocellular carcinoma
-Prophylaxis:supervision of blood donation.

Hepatitis D Virus(HDV):
-This is an incoplete virus depending on HBsAg for its survival,so it only causes hepatitis in HBsAg positive persons
-It spreads by blood transfusion and parenterally
-Incubation period:4-24 weeks
-There are 2 forms of infection:
-co-infection,where the host is infected with HDV and HBV together
-super-infection,where there is super-infection of a stable patient
-It may lead to chronicity
-It may decrease the incidence of HCC HBsAg positive patients
-Prophylaxis:vaccination against HBV

Hepatitis E Virus(HEV):
-Infection:foecal-oral
-Sporadic or epidemic
-usully in children and young adults
-Incubation period:2-8 weeks
-Acute stage:usually mild,exept in pregnant women.
-It causes no chronic complication and it is notrelated to cancer liver
-Prophylaxy:impoved hygiene and immunoglobulinis.