Learn the ABCs of Viral Hepatitis

"Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected and can be spread when someone ingests the virus, usually through eating contaminated food or drink or through close personal contact with an infected person. Hepatitis A is very contagious and people can even spread the virus before they get symptoms. However, hepatitis A is easily prevented with a safe and effective vaccine, which is recommended for all children at one year of age and for adults who may be at risk, including travelers to certain international countries.

Since the hepatitis A vaccine was first recommended in 1996, cases of hepatitis A in the United States have declined dramatically. Unfortunately, adult vaccination rates remain low and in recent years the number of people infected has increased as a result of multiple outbreaks of hepatitis A across the United States. While hepatitis A can affect anyone, certain groups are at greater risk of being infected in these outbreaks. To help stop the outbreaks, CDC recommends the hepatitis A vaccine for people who use drugs (including drugs that are not injected), people experiencing homelessness, men who have sex with men, people with liver disease, and people who are or were recently in jail or prison.

 Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. Some people who become infected, especially young children, can go on to develop a chronic or lifelong infection. Over time, chronic hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage, and even liver cancer. Hepatitis B is common in many parts of the world, including Asia, the Pacific Islands and Africa.
 

Hepatitis B is preventable with a vaccine. Hepatitis B can be passed from an infected woman to her baby at birth, if her baby does not receive the hepatitis B vaccine. As a result, the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all infants at birth and adults at risk. Unfortunately, many people were infected before the hepatitis B vaccine was widely available. That’s why CDC recommends pregnant women, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, household and sexual contacts of someone infected, anyone born or whose parents were born in areas where hepatitis B is common, and others with certain medical conditions get tested for hepatitis B. Treatments are available that can delay or reduce the risk of developing liver cancer.."
Hepatitis 

Vaccine (Shot) for Hepatitis A

"Two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine are recommended for children by doctors as the best way to protect against hepatitis A.

Why should my child get the hepatitis A shot?

• Protects your child from hepatitis A, a potentially serious disease.
• Protects other people from the disease because children under 6 years old with hepatitis A usually don’t have symptoms, but they often pass the disease to others without anyone knowing they were infected.
• Keeps your child from missing school or childcare and you from missing work.

When should my child get the hepatitis A shot?

Your child will need two doses of the Hepatitis A shot for best protection. One dose at each of the following ages:

12 through 23 months

6 months after last dose

The hepatitis A shot is safe.

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The hepatitis A vaccine is very safe, and it is effective at preventing the hepatitis A disease. Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. These are usually mild and go away on their own.

What are the side effects?

The most common side effects are usually mild and last 1 or 2 days. They include:

• Sore arm from the shot
• Headache
• Tiredness
• Fever
• Loss of appetite (not wanting to eat).."
  Hepatitis A 

World Hepatitis Day,, July 28th

"Learn more about World Hepatitis Day and how viral hepatitis impacts millions of people worldwide.

World Hepatitis Day is recognized annually on July 28th, the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg (1925–2011). Dr. Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967, and 2 years later he developed the first hepatitis B vaccine. These achievements culminated in Dr. Blumberg winning the Nobel Prize. Organizations around the world, including WHO and CDC, commemorate World Hepatitis Day to raise awareness of the problem of viral hepatitis, which impacts more than 325 million people worldwide. It creates an opportunity to educate people about the burden of these infections, CDC’s efforts to combat viral hepatitis around the world, and actions people can take to prevent these infections.

Viral hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — affects millions of people worldwide, causing both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) liver disease. Viral hepatitis causes more than one million deaths each year. While deaths from tuberculosis and HIV have been declining, deaths from hepatitis are increasing.

What is CDC doing to help combat hepatitis globally?

The vision of CDC is to eliminate viral hepatitis in the United States and globally. When resources permit, CDC collaborates with international partners to help countries experiencing high rates of infection prevent and control viral hepatitis..."
Hepitatis

Dramatic increase in Hepatitis C

"Overview

Hepatitis C is increasing dramatically in the United States, particularly among younger adults, and 4 in 10 people don’t even know they have it. Hepatitis C is usually spread through blood, often from injection drug use. Less commonly, hepatitis C is spread through sex or from an infected mother to her infant during pregnancy or childbirth. An acute infection develops when someone is first infected. Some people clear the virus, but most people with acute hepatitis C will develop a long-term (chronic) infection. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can cause severe liver damage, liver cancer, and even death. But hepatitis C is curable. The first step to being cured is getting a hepatitis C blood test. CDC now recommends testing:

• Every adult at least once
• Pregnant women during every pregnancy
• Everyone with ongoing risk factors regularly.."
  Hepatitis C

Hepatitis A Outbreaks: What You Should Know

"Widespread outbreaks of hepatitis A are occurring across the United States. Vaccinating people at risk can stop the spread. For Hepatitis Awareness Month, learn more about hepatitis A and the current outbreaks.

When hearing about hepatitis A, many people think of contaminated food or water. That is one way the virus can spread and a common way international travelers get infected. However, most people don’t know that in the United States, hepatitis A is more commonly spread from person to person, which is how people are getting infected in the current outbreaks. While hepatitis A can affect anyone, certain groups are at greater risk of being infected in these outbreaks. To help stop the outbreaks, CDC recommends the hepatitis A vaccine for people who use drugs (including drugs that are not injected), people experiencing homelessness, men who have sex with men, people with liver disease, and people who are or were recently in jail or prison..."

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis C Kills More Americans than Any Other Infectious Disease

"Deaths associated with hepatitis C reached an all-time high of 19,659 in 2014, according to new surveillance data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A second CDC study, published online today in Clinical Infectious Diseases, shows that annual hepatitis C-related mortality in 2013 surpassed the total combined number of deaths from 60 other infectious diseases reported to CDC, including HIV, pneumococcal disease, and tuberculosis. Further, both studies use data from death certificates, which often underreport hepatitis C, so there likely were even more hepatitis C-related deaths than these numbers suggest.

The greatest hepatitis C burden falls on baby boomers – those born from 1945 to 1965 – many of whom have unknowingly been living with the infection for many years. According to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases earlier this year, many baby boomers were infected during medical procedures in the years after World War II, when injection and blood transfusion technologies were not as safe as they are today. Without diagnosis and treatment, they increasingly develop liver cancer and other life-threatening hepatitis C-related diseases, and they may unknowingly transmit the disease to others..."
Hepatitis C

Know Hepatitis B Campaign

"Learn about Hepatitis B and efforts to promote testing among Asian Americans.

CDC has launched the third phase of the Know Hepatitis B campaign designed to promote hepatitis B testing among Asian Americans. The Know Hepatitis B campaign represents the first national multi-lingual communications campaign on hepatitis B among Asian Americans. Hepatitis B disproportionately affects Asian Americans and is especially common in many Asian and Pacific Island countries. While Asian Americans make up about 5% of the total U.S. population, they account for half of the 2.2 million Americans living with chronic hepatitis B. In fact, one in 12 Asian Americans has hepatitis B..."
Hepatitis B

Prevent Hepatitis A: Get Vaccinated Before You Travel

"Hepatitis A is common in many parts of the world, particularly in some popular travel destinations such as Mexico, and Central and South America. On May 1, 2015, CDC released an advisory to travelers to Tulum, Mexico, as public health officials had recently identified 27 cases of Hepatitis A in 12 states as of the end of April – all sharing this travel destination. Unvaccinated travelers to Tulum and other areas where Hepatitis A is common are at a greater risk of getting infected with the hepatitis A virus. During Hepatitis Awareness Month, learn more about how the hepatitis A vaccine can protect you from getting infected when traveling..."
Hepatitis-A

Hepatitis Awareness Month

"May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day. Find out if you should be tested or vaccinated for hepatitis by taking a 5-minute online Hepatitis Risk Assessment.

"Hepatitis" means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that plays many roles essential to good health. It processes nutrients, filters the blood, and helps fight infections. When the liver becomes inflamed, its function can be affected. Many things can cause hepatitis, including heavy alcohol use, certain toxins, and some medications and medical conditions. However, hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, andHepatitis C..."

Hepatitis

Risk for Viral Hepatitis

"Hepatitis" means inflammation of the liver and is usually caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Millions of Americans are living with viral hepatitis but most do not know they are infected. People can live with chronic, or lifelong, hepatitis for decades without having symptoms.
Since chronic hepatitis often does not cause any symptoms, testing is crucial. CDC developed an online Hepatitis Risk Assessment to help determine if you should be vaccinated and/or tested for viral hepatitis. By answering a few questions in a 5 minute assessment, you can receive personalized viral hepatitis testing and vaccination recommendations to discuss with your doctor..."
Hepatitis assessment

World Hepatitis Day; July 28th

"Viral hepatitis is a major global health issue affecting nearly 400 million people worldwide. In observance of World Hepatitis Day, July 28, learn more about three common types of viral hepatitis: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C..."
Hepatitis

World Hepatitis Day

"Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis worldwide. Approximately 1 in 12 persons, or around 500 million people, have chronic viral hepatitis and most of them do not know they are infected..."
World Hepatitis Day