Hepatitis C is one of the most common types of hepatitis. It is also the most serious of all hepatitis types. This type of hepatitis alone can lead to cancer and even liver failure. The worst part of hepatitis C is that is shows no symptoms in almost all patients.
There are cases of hepatitis C where symptoms are present. However, these hepatitis cases are very rare and the signs of hepatitis C are mild and nonspecific. Some of the signs of hepatitis C that one might have are: nausea, fatigue, loss of their appetite and pain in the abdomen. As you see, these symptoms are very common and may very well be mistaken for signs of another medical problem, besides hepatitis C. Furthermore, when a hepatitis patient goes for a check- up at the doctor, in most of the cases the pysichal examination will not show any abnormalities that could indicate hepatitis. You might have a slight enlargement of your liver and feel pain in that area of the body, but these are not clear signs of hepatitis C. Because of this, many people will then suffer from chronic hepatitis. This form of hepatitis C, if not found, can also have serious complications. One common complication in people that have hepatitis C is cryoglobulinemia. Other complication of hepatitis C patients may be glomerulonephritis, but this is a less common hepatitis C complication.
The first test that one person who is a hepatitis C suspect should take is the anti- hepatitis C virus test. This hepatitis test can be detected by immunoassay enzymes. This was the initial generation of the anti- hepatitis C virus test, Today they have developed a third such hepatitis test, which is a lot more sensitive. However, there is the need of additional tests, after this anti- hepatitis C virus test, for confirmation. The next step and the best so far in actually diagnosing hepatitis C is the hepatitis C virus RNA. This test to detect hepatitis uses either a chain reaction with the help of polymerase or transcription- mediated amplification. What this hepatitis test actually does is detect the hepatitis C virus and also indicates if there is an active infection in your body, related to hepatitis. This test to detect hepatitis is also very helpful because there are many people whose initial test, anti- hepatitis C virus test does not give proper results. Usually these hepatitis patients have an immune system which is compromised.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c transmission or even about hepatitis c symptoms you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Liver Damage Signs
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Canine Viral Hepatitis - Diagnosis Of Dog Diseases
In the world of canines, many diseases and infections exist everywhere, even in the most sophisticated homes and yards. Diagnosing a dog disease comes from seeing the symptoms your dog may show and then having the necessary tests done to find the exact cause of the disease. The top canine diseases are canine viral hepatitis, bloating, aortic steonosis, distemper and the parvovirus. With proper health care and diet, dogs can live a healthy life as your faithful companion for many years.
Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Canine Viral Hepatitis
This viral disease affects younger dogs and puppies. Affecting the liver and inner lining of the blood vessels, this disease is transmitted from dog to dog by way of a discharge from the infected dog. Some symptoms of the disease stomach bleeding, increased thirst, lack of appetite, vomiting and a tender stomach when touched. Dogs do show discomfort when experiencing canine viral hepatitis.
Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Bloating
A life threatening and serious problem in dogs, also called gastric dilation volvulus, comes from over eating as well as other health problems. Some breeds are prone to this because of their breed, but others just plain over eat. The symptoms of bloating are a restless dog and a fat looking stomach that happens quickly. Dry heaves follow such a condition and proper diagnosis is required by tests. Sometimes taking food away for twenty-four hours will help reduce the bloating problem in your dog.
Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is a viral infection that affects the immune system and can lead to serious complications if not death. This disease is contracted from contact with the excretions of an infected dog. Airborne particles can also contribute to infecting other dogs. Dogs rarely survive, but when they do, they suffer from muscle spasms and convulsions. The symptoms of a fever over 104 degrees, depression, pus in the eyes, convulsions, diarrhea and vomiting, if you see these signs, you need to contact your vet immediately. Proper vaccination of your dog prevents this viral disease from taking the life or livelihood of your companion.
Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Aortic Steonosis
Aortic steonosis is an obstruction of the blood vessel that carries blood from the left ventricle and is an inherited health problem. No symptoms are visible for mild cases, but severe cases prevent the dog from any type of exercise. Dogs tend to faint when performing any kind of exercise due to the severity of the blockage. If your dog shows symptoms of fainting, tests will determine the exact cause and the vet will describe treatment objectives.
Diagnosis of Dog Diseases- Canine Parvovirus
Puppies under six months of age succumb to this particular disease. The intestinal tract, lymphoid tissue, immune system and the bone marrow are affected. Symptoms may be vomiting, convulsion weight loss and dehydration with coughing. For some puppies, death is immediate. Puppies need proper medical attention and proper vaccinations to prevent such an untimely demise.
Author: David Faulkner
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Increasing Evidence Suggests Liver Support May be Effective in Compromising the Effects of Hepatitis-engendered Cirrhosis
The Hepatitis-Cirrhosis Connection
According to the American Liver Foundation, more than 25 million Americans are afflicted with liver and gallbladder disease and more than 43,000 die of liver disease each year. While several factors contribute to liver damage, viral hepatitis is the single most important cause of liver disease in the United States and worldwide. Roughly 200 million people worldwide are infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). 4.9 million of those are in the United States (estimates go as high as 15 million) and 5 million in Western Europe. For every one person infected with the AIDS virus, there are more than four infected with Hepatitis C. There are up to 230,000 new hepatitis C infections in the U.S. every year. Currently, 8,000 to 10,000 deaths each year are a result of HCV. Within the next 10-20 years, chronic hepatitis C is predicted to become a major burden on the health care system as patients with no symptoms progress to end-stage liver disease and develop hepatocellular carcinoma. Predictions in the USA suggest that there will be a 60% increase in the incidence of cirrhosis, a 68% increase in hepatoma incidence, a 528% increase in the need for transplantation, and a 223% increase in liver death rate.
The roles of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in causing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are well documented. The frequency of HCC correlates with chronic HBV infection rates. HCC is a cancer arising from the liver. It is also known as primary liver cancer or hepatoma. HCC is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the majority of patients with HCC will die within one year because of the cancer. The majority of primary liver cancers (over 90 to 95 %) arises from liver cells and is called hepatocellular cancer or carcinoma. In 1990, the World Health Organization estimated that there were about 430,000 new cases of HCC worldwide, and a similar number of patients died resulting from this disease. Moreover, recent data show that the frequency of HCC in the U.S. overall is rising. Is there a way to curb this rise?
A Healthy Liver is Essential!
While there is no cure for hepatitis and no completely effective treatment, the threats resulting from HCC, cirrhosis, and various hepatitis strands may best be combated by supporting the liver with natural supplements.
Extreme Health's Liver Support Formula
This extremely effective combination of ingredients has Double Blind Studies verifying decreases in degenerative liver damage in patients with chronic liver disease (cirrhosis of the liver) in as few as 30 to 90 days. This combination has proven studies for detoxifying the liver, normalizing liver metabolism and preventing further liver damage due to internal and external toxins like alcohol, cigarettes, long term pharmaceutical use, and environmental poisons
The artichoke bud / sarsaparilla extract utilized in Extreme Health's Liver Support Formula is an entirely unique complex of phytochemicals extracted from the bud of a hybrid artichoke plant (Cynara floridanum) and the root of the sarsaparilla plant (Smilax officinalis) which can be found at www.extremehealthusa.com or by calling 1-800-800-1285. Proprietary extraction process uses a method in which all plant materials are first combined, macerated, and put into a distilled water / ethanol solvent. This allows the plant materials to interact within the solvent resulting in an exceptional, health-providing formulation of polyphenols and flavonoids.
The artichoke has a long folk history in treating many liver diseases. Recent evidence supports this longtime use. The active ingredient in artichoke is cynarin. This compound is found in highest concentrations in the leaves. Cynara extract has demonstrated liver-protecting and regenerating effects, and promotes the outflow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder. This is very important because if the bile is not being transported adequately to the gallbladder, the liver has an increased risk of being damaged.
Again, there is no cure or completely effective treatment for hepatitis, however the risk of hepatitis-related cirrhosis should not be ignored. Extreme Health is proud to offer perhaps the only liver support protocol with Double Blind Studies verifying its ability to decrease cirrhosis-related liver damage.
The Liver’s Functions Include
An expanding corpus of scientific studies verifies the healthy liver's prophylactic role in maintaining optimal health. This is precisely due to the liver's role in regulation, synthesis, and secretion of substances key to maintaining a healthy body. The liver's functions include, but are not limited to the following:
1) Converts nutrients into energy
2) Helps resist infection
3) Metabolizes proteins
4) Helps regulate blood-sugar levels
5) Filtering and removing toxins ts
6) Removing drugs in our system 12) Manufacturing new body proteins
7) Manufacturing and storage of bile
8) Removing bacteria from our system
9) Regulating fat storage
10) Manufacturing protein and nutrients
11) Storing iron and essential nutrien
We easily comprehend why the liver is considered the body's refinery. Accordingly, an overburdened, toxic, or otherwise diseased liver necessarily comprises centrifugal detoxification organs such as the kidneys and gallbladder and can result in extreme pain and even death within 12 to 24 hours! Reciprocally, various diseases and viruses actually engender liver damage; the most dangerous of which is potentially hepatitis.
Complications
- 25,000 Americans die of cirrhosis, the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.
- 85% of individuals infected with HCV will develop long-term infection.
- 75% of individuals may develop chronic liver disease.
- 15% of individuals may develop cirrhosis over a long period of time.
Fatty Liver (Steatosis) Steato Hepatitis / Cirrhosis
Fatty liver or steatosis is a common condition where fat has accumulated within liver cells (hepatocytes) without causing any specific symptoms.
Recent studies demonstrate that a fatty liver of either alcoholic or non-alcoholic origin can lead to inflammation, cell death, and fibrosis (steatohepatitis), and eventually even cirrhosis.
To receive a complete copy of the double blind studies, please visit ExtremeHealthUSA.Com , or call to order 1-800-800-1285
Author: Michele Payne-Salomon
Friday, April 18, 2008
Hepatitis B is Transmittable to Foetus
It is known that Hepatitis B is transmittable from mother to baby during pregnancy. In India the prevalence of HBV is 4% and the most frequent form of virus transmission is from mother to child, during pregnancy, and in early childhood.
The HBV infection is possible to occur during pregnancy on a healthy person and infect the foetus too, or it could have existed long before the mother got pregnant.
A North Indian study showed that HBV has no predilection for pregnant women. Of the pregnant and non-pregnant women that were involved in this study, 19% of the pregnant women were infected, and 18 % of the non-pregnant women were infected too. Also, the disease was not affecting pregnant women in a different way than affecting non-pregnant ones.
Some of the symptoms that come along with the prodromal stage of hepatitis can be mistaken with those for pregnancy: nausea, vomiting. Also fatigue, headaches, muscle ache, and low grade fewer can be mistaken with flu. In 2 to 10 days of the prodrome jaundice appears and the patient could accuse pain in the right side of the body, just beneath the rib cage. The doctor could sense hepatomegaly (meaning that the liver has swollen), and sometimes splenomegaly. In approximately 6 weeks these symptoms will disappear, and if not treated, in 6 months, chronic hepatitis could install.
Sometimes the installation of the disease could cause premature labour (in 31.6% of the infected patients), and post partum hemorrhages.
In diagnosing acute hepatitis B doctors use viral markers like: HBsAg and IgM Anti-HBc.
The treatment of HBV in a pregnant woman is similar to the one used for a non-pregnant woman: bed rest, vitamins, and high calorie diet. The vaccine is not recommended in pregnant women.
The chronic hepatitis does not manifest in its early stages but only when it affects most of the liver. The chronic hepatitis is diagnosed most frequently when the patient feels ill and asks the doctor for some tests, or when a woman gets pregnant and the obstetrician recommends her some usual blood tests. If the level of serum transaminases is high, this means chronic hepatitis is present. Sometimes the doctor can palpate the spleen and liver but if the pregnancy is in the last months that can not be done. Also, the palmar erythema could suggest hepatitis but this sign is found in pregnancy too.
Pregnant women with chronic hepatitis usually have a normal pregnancy, and complications appear only if cirrhosis develops. Cirrhosis leads to portal hypertension and esophageal variceal hemorrhage, which could lead to maternal mortality.
Treating chronic hepatitis B is made in similar ways with treating non-pregnant women. Interferon alpha is no used because it can lead to foetus malformations. Lamivudine is considered to be safe for pregnant women and foetus and it is administered daily in an oral dose of 100 mg.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c treatment or even about causes of hepatitis c you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Thursday, April 17, 2008
What is Hepatitis B....?
What is Hepatitis B....?
Hepatitis B is a virus that causes liver disease. It is possible for carriers of the virus, showing no symptoms to still infect others.
How does one contract Hepatitis B....?
Hepatitis B is transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner.
A pregnant woman can also pass the infection to her newborn during delivery, or while breast feeding her child. Sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person can also lead to infection.
What are the symptoms of Hepatitis B....?
Many people with Hepatitis B will not have any symptoms.
Others may have flu-like symptoms and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
Darkly colored urine, and very light stools are often present but not unique to this infection.
What treatments are there for Hepatitis B....?
There is no specific treatment for Hepatitis B but there is a vaccine against the virus available at Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinics. Most people with Hepatitis B recover completely after rest, but in some cases there may be long-term liver damage.
What happens to untreated Hepatitis B....?
Hepatitis B can permanently damage your liver if left untreated, causing cirrhosis or even cancer.
What can I do to test myself for Hepatitis B....?
If you are still worried and would like more advice or information on Sexual Infections please visit discreethealthcheck.co.uk.
Author: Discreet Health Check
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
How Can Hepatitis C be Trasmitted?
Hepatitis C is a disease that inflammates the liver and can cause a lot of damage to it. It can eventually lead to liver cancer if nothing is done to treat it.
Once you get infected with the hepatitis C virus you enter a waiting period of aproximately 6 months. In this time the virus infection shows no signs and symptoms, so in most cases it's only discovered during a routine test. 20% of the people infected eliminate the virus from their bodies in these, first 6 months, but in 80% of the cases, it remains there and after the time passes it starts to "work". In the first 6 months, the disease is called acute hepatitis C. If you got the virus and you're lucky, the doctor discovers it while it's in the acute phase, and it can easily be treated. But, in the majority of cases it becomes active and acute hepatitis C turns into the dangerous chronic hepatitis C.
Chronic hepatitis C is hard to cure, and it can cause life threatening complications. Most of the patients with hepatitis C can't be cured, and their condition gets worse and worse as time passes. Chronic hepatitis C treatment can't cure it, it can only make it progress slower and reduce the pain and damage that it does to the liver.
So the best thing to do is to stay away from the hepatitis C virus. You should learn how hepatitis C is transmitted from one person to another and try to avoid getting infected with it. Knowing the symptoms well so you can consult a doctor as soon as you see any of them appear is also a good thing to do.
Hepatitis C can easily be transmitted by blood to blood contact. Most people get it by sharing the same needle in injections, but because you also get HIV this way, doctors try to prevent this as much as possible, so the number of infections caused by needle sharing is decreasing. Those who inject themselves drugs and use the same syringe on many people are at an enormous risk of getting hepatitis C, HIV, and many other infections. Hepatitis C transmission happens a lot among drug users and in prisons.
A large number of people get hepatitis C from tattooing. The needle used when doing a tattoo can pierce through the skin and cause a small bleeding incision. The same needle is then used on the next customer, and if one of the clients has hepatitis C and gets stung by the tattoo needle, anyone else who will get stung will get it.
The third cause of hepatitis C infections is sex. Many engage in unprotected sexual encounters with strangers, and if your partner has hepatitis C then you will get infected with it too. Although mass media is trying to promote the use of condoms and people are told what the risks of not using them are, still many realize that they have been infected after a sexual encounter with a stranger.
Other methods of hepatitis C transmission can be sharing the same razor when shaving, or brushing teeth with the same toothbrush. Toothbrushes can cause the gums to bleed, and so blood is shared.
Try to remember these basic facts about hepatitis C transmission, and you will be able to avoid getting infected with it. Also remember that chronic hepatitis C can only be totally cured in few cases before doing something foolish.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c transmission or even about hepatitis c symptoms you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
General Hepatitis C Information
Hepatitis C is the most encountered liver disease in both the USA and Europe. It is a viral disease caused by a family of viruses that can inflammate the liver. If it is not discovered and treated it can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, which can happen because hepatitis C usually doesn't show any signs and symptoms until it's too late.
It is important to know all the hepatitis C information as you can, in order to be able to prevent the illness and to know what to do in case you notice any of the symptoms in you or in a family member.
As mentioned before, the cause of hepatitis C is an infection with a virus. This virus can be spread to other people by blood to blood contact. You can get it if you share the same syringe with someone that has it, or by having sex with an infected person. You can't get hepatitis C by hugging, kissing, or touching people.
Once the virus enter the body it can take years for it to make its presence felt. Many have it and don't even know about it, some find out during a routine consultation.
At some people acute hepatitis begins right after the infection, and lasts for 6 months. In this phase, no damage is done to the liver and no symptoms appear at more than 50% of the patients. When symptoms do occur, they may include pain in the abdomen, jaundice or loss of appetite.
Some eliminate the virus from their bodies during these first 6 months, but at most people it remains in the blood. If the 6 months pass and the virus is still in the body then chronic hepatitis starts. Chronic hepatitis evolves fast, and unfortunately, it also shown almost no symptoms, so it's hard to detect it too until it already caused damage to the liver. But when the liver starts to malfunction, many symptoms appear. The most common ones are fever, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, headaches and depression.
It is important to start the treatment as soon as hepatitis C is detected, because after the chronic phase it can progress to cirrhosis, and the liver almost stops functioning.
The virus can be eliminated from the body if action is taken quickly. Hepatitis C therapy is treated moslty with a combination of two drugs - interferons and ribavirin. These drugs can have severe side effects, and they may fail to clear the virus in some cases, so doctors advice patients to choose the therapy method carefully.
There are many support groups for those infected with hepatitis C, that provide them with a lot of accurate hepatitis C information and with the latest medical tehniques used to cure the illness. Also, a lot of hepatitis C information can be found on the Internet, covering all the topics from causes and symptoms to treatment.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis or even about hepatitis c information you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Monday, April 14, 2008
Hepatitis C Symptoms
There are many people that are infected with hepatitis C virus or actually have hepatitis C and do not show any symptoms at all. Thy is happens to about three thirds of all hepatitis C patients. However, there are hepatitis C patients that develop symptoms. One third of the hepatitis C people feel general sickness, yellow skin and eyes, a loss of apatite and fatigue.
These are the maine hepatitis C symptoms that one might have. Weight loose is another of the hepatitis C symptoms that may appear. Aching joints will also be a problem is having hepatitis C. However, there are a lot of people that will suffer from hepatitis C and not have any symptoms at all for as long as thirty years after contacting the hepatitis C virus. This is not a reason to be happy, because the hepatitis virus will slowly damage your liver and you will not even know that. If these people do not take the test for hepatitis C, they will find out that they are actually infected with the hepatitis C virus when they liver will be in grave
danger.
An amazing number of people that had been infected with the hepatitis C virus will go one to live with parts of this hepatitis virus still in them. About fifteen percent of the hepatitis patients will actually get rid of the hepatitis virus completely. These are also the people that will not suffer from any consequences after they have had hepatitis C. Amazingly, not all the people that are infected with the hepatitis C virus actually need treatment. If you have hepatitis C it is best that you talk to your doctor and see whether you should take the hepatitis treatment or not. There are certain factors that one must take into consideration before starting the hepatitis C treatment. The hepatitis treatment has some side effects and unfortunately there is no vaccine to prevent the ingection with the hepatitis C virus. The hepatitis treatment should not be given to people that have other medical conditions.
For more resources about hepatitis c transmission please review http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-symptoms.htm or even http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-transmission.htm
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Hepatitis C Treatment - Benefits and Disadvantages
Hepatitis C is a severe disease caused by a virus that affects the liver. The virus is transmitted by blood to blood contact and contrary to what some people believe, you can't get the virus by touching or kissing an infected person. You can get it by getting an injection with the same needle that was used on someone with the virus or by having sexual intercourse with a person that suffers from hepatitis C.
The disease can be acute or chronic, in the first 6 month from the infection it is acute and it rarely presents any symptoms. In 20% of the cases the virus is eliminated from the body in these first 6 month. If it is not eliminated then the hepatitis becomes chronic and the virus starts to affect the liver. It does serious damage to the liver and it must be treated as much as possible.
The purpose of the hepatitis C treatment is to try to stop the virus from causing more damage to the liver and to try to eliminate it from the body.
If a patient has a mild acute hepatitis C than they probably don't know that they have it because there are no symptoms, but if they know that they have been infected then the treatment to prevent the hepatitis from becoming chronic must be started. This treatment is not hard and it is successful in most cases.
If a chronic hepatitis was just diagnosed than treatment must begin soon. The patient's life changes when he/she fins out that he/she has chronic hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is treated with the help of drugs> Most doctors recommend a combination of interferon with ribavirin. These two drugs help the body figt the hepatitis C virus and try to stop it from inflammating the liver.
The treatment period depends on the patient and on the type of hepatitis genotype the patient has. Genotype 2 and 3 need 6 months of treatment and genotype 1 usually takes one year to treat.
The hepatitis C treatment may or may not work. Some people are cured and at some people the drugs have no effect. If the doctors see that 3 months have passed without any result then the treatment is ceased. A recent study has shown that the hepatitis treatment work for half the patients.
The bad part about the treatment is that the drugs are very expensive and they also have serious side effects. The most common side effects are headaches, fever, fatigue and weakness, depression and more.
Some people do not even start the hepatitis C treatment because of its cost, chance of success and side effects. You need to consult your doctor and make a decision on what treatment you would like to choose.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c treatment or even about causes of hepatitis c you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Hepatitis B – a Deadly Killer
Some Simple Measures
• Avoid too much stress while suffering from this infection.
• Over-exertion may make you sick again.
• It is better to take rest and let your body catch up on the lost energy.
• Have protein, vitamin and mineral rich diet which would help you regain strength.
• As you suffer from nausea and loss of appetite it would be better to have small meals to undo those symptoms.
• Avoid dehydration and drink plenty of water
• Consume liquids like fruit or vegetable juices, soups and broths to add strength to your body.
• You may show signs of vomiting which can be dealt by increasing electrolytes consumption.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Author: Sharon Hopkins
Faq About Hepatitis B
1. If I have chronic HBV can I breast feed my baby without worrying that he might get infected?
A study made in Texas on 101 breast-fed infants and 268 formula-fed infants after immunopropylaxis was applied showed that there is no risk in breast feeding your baby if you have chronic HBV. Appropriate immunoprophilaxies means administering hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine.
2. Does breast feeding have any consequence upon immunoprophylaxis, like leading to its failure?
It has been observed that the risk of immunoprofilaxis failure is approximately equal in breast fed babies of chronic HBV mothers and bottle fed babies. Also, breast feeding does not influence the response of anti-HBs in any negative ways.
3. Can a baby get HBV from its mother even during pregnancy, and what can be done about that?
Yes, the virus can transmit to the baby even during pregnancy, in fact this being one of the most frequent ways of increasing the number of carriers in the world. If a mother has HBV she can get intramuscular shots of HBV specific immunoglobulin (HBIG) during pregnancy and so this stops the virus from infecting the foetus. This solution is not 100% effective and 10%-20% of the babies still get HBV in their early life.
4. Can hepatitis B vaccination schedule initiated with one recombinant DNA vaccine be completed with another?
Studies have been made on 48 adults to see if this is true. At 0, 1 and 6 months they have been administered the first two doses of 10 micrograms with Merck Sharpe and Dohme's recombinant DNA (MSD rDNA) vaccine (Recombivax HB). At month 6, the tested subjects received SmithKline Beecham's recombinant DNA (SB rDNA) vaccine (Engerix-B). At the end of the vaccination program, the results were the same with the usuall cases when people get one type of recombinant DNA vaccine, so there is no harm in completing one type of vaccine with another.
5. Is hepatitis B vaccine safe if administered during pregnancy?
Scientists say that the vaccination does not lead to any congenital malformation or miscarriage, it is high immunogenic and protects babies in the immediate neonatal period. Doctors are still hesitant in administering all kind of vaccine during pregnancy, but the hepatitis B vaccine seems to be one of the few that can be given to a pregnant woman without causing damage.
6. Can still I use a vial of Hepatitis B vaccine if I kept it out of the refrigerator for a few days?
Tests have shown that after keeping the vial at 37 degrees C for 1 week the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of the vaccine were not altered and the vaccine’s properties were intact. This is a good thing, especially for those who live in a country where facilities for proper storage and transportation are not adequate yet.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis or even about hepatitis c information you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Liver Failure Treatment Information
Liver is the main organ in the body. The liver has many jobs, including changing food into energy and cleaning alcohol and toxic substances in the blood. The hepatic failure is the inability of the liver to perform its normal functions and metabolic synthesis. Hepatic impairment results in the degradation of many features that we take for granted. This raises the most hepatic insufficiency slowly, over many yearsThere are two forms (the hepatic acute and chronic hepatic), liver failure. The acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare condition in which the rapid deterioration of the results of liver function.
Coagulopathie an altered state mental healthy people before. ALF often affects young people and leads to a very high mortality. The most frequent causes of hepatic acute overdose of paracetamol, idiosyncratic reaction to drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, acute fatty liver of pregnancy, and idiopathic.A person with a shortfall Hepatic jaundice usually has a tendency to bleed or bruise, ascites, encephalopathy liver, and more generally failing health. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, nausea and loss of appetite. In acute liver failure, a person can pass from the healthy near death in a few days.
Chronic Hepatic impairment usually occurs in the context of cirrhosis. In a chronic liver failure, impairment of health can be very gradual until a dramatic event, such as bleeding varices (large, tortuous veins), occurs.Treatment depends on the cause and clinical manifestations . Consumption of protein is carefully controlled. Low Sodium consumption is kept to help keep from the accumulation of ascitic fluid in the abdomen. The best way to prevent liver failure is to reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis or hepatitis. Eat a healthy diet from all food groups. Do not share any personal toiletry items, including toothbrushes and razors.
Liver Failure Treatment and Preventiosn Tips
1. Low sodium is retained to assist in this condition.
2. Be sure to use protection (condoms) when having sex.
3. Avoiding illegal drug use, especially sharing injection equipment
4. Avoiding drinking or using tap water when traveling internationally
5. Alcohol is completely avoided because it can worsen the liver damage.
6. Practicing good hygiene, such as washing hands well after using the restroom.
Author: Juliet Cohen
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Measures of Preventing Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a viral disease that affects the liver and could cause serious damage to it and to the whole human organism if not treated well.
There exist hepatitis type A, B, C, D, E, non-A, and non-B, caused by A, B, C, D, E viruses.
Preventing hepatitis is better than treating it. There are some methods of prevention which you can easy apply: wash your hands every time before eating and after using the toilet; avoid unhealthy living places; when traveling to developing countries you should be very careful with what you are eating and drinking and make sure that the water you drink is not contaminated by sewage. When swimming in the pool, make sure there is good sanitation.
Teach your family members to keep a good hygiene, to practice safe sex or abstinence and to avoid needles.
Also, if one is contaminated wake sure you clean well with antiseptic cleansers the toilet.
There is a vaccine against hepatitis A and it is addressed to those who travel a lot, who work with infected persons, who change frequently their sex partners and to those who already have a liver disease.
There also exists a vaccine for Hepatitis B, but unfortunately there has not been discovered one for hepatitis C too.
The period of incubation for Hepatitis A virus lasts 2 to 6 weeks. Generally a patient who has developed this disease will recover well, without complications, and will not develop the chronic form of the disease. After recovering, the patient will not pass the virus to other persons too.
The period of incubation for Hepatitis B lasts 4 to 20 weeks, and also, 85% to 90%
Of the infected will recover well without any complications.10% to 15% can develop cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis.
For Hepatitis C the period of incubation is 2 to 26 weeks, and 75% to 85% do not recover well and develop chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, even liver cancer. They can also spread the virus to other healthy persons.
Treating hepatitis A with drugs is not necessary because the disease goes away on its own.
There are some drugs useful in treating hepatitis B and C but some are not recommended to the children.
Generally, the treatment is done in hospital, but if you only have a mild form of the disease you can stay at home. Children especially, should eat smaller, more frequent meals and liquids that are rich in calories and proteins. Call the doctor if you see any of these following symptoms referring to a worsening of the liver condition: skin rash, confusion, and itching, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
If you want to find out more resources about causes of hepatitis c or even about hepatitis c treatment you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
General Information on Hepatitis and Its Symptoms
Hepatitis may have evident symptoms or not, depending on the stadium of the disease and how much of the liver is affected. First symptoms are nausea, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, unexplained tiredness. In an advanced stadium when the liver can’t perform its functions jaundice occurs one of the most evident and characteristic sign of hepatitis. Bilirubin is usually processed by the liver, and is the last product of the disposal of old blood cells, this pigment is yellow and is found in the bile and then is expelled in the digestive tract. Bilirubin is the pigment that gives the brown color to the faeces. In hepatitis when the functions of the liver are perturbated bilirubin isn’t processed accordingly and is not eliminated, but enters in the blood.
Some is eliminated through kidneys and the rest is deposed in the skin and eyes that is why the persons with hepatitis have a pale face, with yellow coloured lines in the palms of the hands, their urine is also brown or tea coloured. If the liver is swollen, tenderness and pain under the low right rib edge appears. Because of mild manifestations the patient can mistake the disease for a flu, hepatitis symptoms may occur suddenly or gradually. The most frequent symptoms are: fever and fatigue, gastro intestinal symptoms may be: nausea and vomiting and even pain in the right quadrant of the abdomen. Children tend not to develop jaundice. Other symptoms are: irritability, itching, light colored stools, drowsiness, diarrhea and joint aches. If clinical test are done the liver and spleen may be observed as enlarged and anemia appears in most people.
Hepatitis B and C progress to chronic hepatitis with no special symptoms, chronic hepatitis C can be present 10 –30 years with no obvious symptoms, except fatigue and itching of the skin. As in other chronic diseases in chronic hepatitis, vitality, and mood affecting in a negative mood their quality of life. Cirrhosis or liver failure may develop before any symptoms appear.
In other cases pain occurs in small joints in the body for example in the hand and you may think you have carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia. In chronic autoimmune hepatitis the symptoms are fever, weight loss, fatigue and jaundice. The accumulation of fluid in the legs and and abdomen causes swelling of the belly and legs.
In fulminant hepatitis symptoms are: ascites which is the swollen of the belly, hand flapping tremor that appears in two months time from the onset of acute hepatitis. Fulminant hepatitis is very severe, because its manifestations are sudden and imply a high risk: stupor, mintal confusion , coma caused by the encephalopathy with stomach and intestinal bleeding.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis or even about hepatitis c information you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Hepatitis B Causes and Preventions
What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease. Hepatitis B is the most common liver infection in the world. In all over world about 350 million people are suffering from HBV, of whom, more than 250,000 die from liver-related disease each year. The liver can become inflamed as a result of infection. Hepatitis B is caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis stops right working of your liver and it also makes your liver swollen. Mostly people do not know that they are suffering from Hepatitis B because it does not have any special kind of symptoms. The common symptoms of Hepatitis B are vomiting, jaundice, dehydration, headache, dark yellow colored urine, yellowish eyes and skin, abdominal pain etc.
Causes of Hepatitis B:
Virus is the main cause of Hepatitis B
The virus is the main cause of Hepatitis B. virus can get transferred from one person to another. The hepatitis B virus is transmitted from one person to another via blood so this virus is also called blood-borne virus.
How HVB virus gets transmitted in to the human body?
- Living with the people who are suffering from Hepatitis B
- Having sex with an infected person without using a condom
- If you share the drug needles with any infected person
- Men or women who have multiple sex partners, especially if they do not use a condom
- By use of infected person’s toothbrush, razor, or anything else that could have blood on it.
- If tattooing or body piercing tools are not being clean.
- A person who go from dialysis and involve in kidney disease.
- New born child get it for his infected mother.
Methods to Prevent Yourself for Hepatitis B:
Hepatitis B can be prevented either before or right after exposure to the virus. To prevent yourself from Hepatitis B, keep in mind those following point:
- Use condom if your partner is infected by HBV
- Avoid the contact with blood and other body fluids with the infected persons
- Do not reuse used needles.
- Do cover all open cuts and sores.
- Pregnant women’s should screen her for HBV infection.
- To prevent disease before exposure, hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all infants, all 11-12 years-old
- The infected person must not share razors, toothbrushes, needles, or any other object that may have become polluted with blood.
Infection With the Hepatitis B Virus During Pregnancy
In some countries, the infection with hepatitis B virus is most common during pregnancy. One can also be infected with the hepatitis B virus in his/ her early childhood. To gain some control over this method of transmitting hepatitis means to have a very good idea about the infection with the hepatitis B virus during pregnancy.
This knowledge of the infection with the hepatitis B virus when pregnant gives a good view on some of the following things:
- the mortality rate of the person carrying the hepatitis virus;
- the effect of the hepatitis B virus on the parturition process;
- most important, the capability of the hepatitis virus to be transmitted to the foetus;
There are tests that can show can show the seroprevelance of the hepatitis B virus in a pregnant women. The infection with hepatitis can be either acute or chronic. The acute infection with the hepatitis B virus means that this infection happened only during pregnancy and the person was otherwise healthy, whereas the chronic infection shows that the infection with the hepatitis B virus was previous to the pregnancy.
Studies have shown that the hepatitis B infection is not perdilect to pregnant women and the percentage of non pregnant women suffering from hepatitis B is almost the same of those pregnant. More, the acute form of hepatitis B does not have more severe symptoms in pregnant women than in the non pregnant ones.
The symptoms for viral hepatitis are the same: fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting. The last two hepatitis symptoms may be also mistaken for pregnancy symptoms in women that do not suffer from hepatitis. If hepatitis resolves before there is a great liver injury, the symptoms of hepatitis may also be passes off as flu symptoms or even as effects of the pregnancy itself. In most of the cases, the acute hepatitis symptoms will pass in about six weeks.
If a pregnant women suffers from acute hepatitis, this may induce a premature labour, especially if she is in the last trimester. However, this has little or no effect on the foetus.
Chronic hepatitis is a very serious condition that has no symptoms. A person may develop hepatitis symptoms when this disease has done many damage to the liver. Most of the women that become pregnant, find out that they suffer from chronic hepatitis after they go to an obstetrician.
For more resources about hepatitis c symptoms please review http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-transmission.htm or even http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-treatment.htm
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Pregnancy and Hepatitis B
There is a big question raised when thinking about hepatitis B: can infants risk to loose their immunoprophylaxis if breast feed by mothers that carry the hepatitis B virus? This is one of the most often asked question when new mothers with hepatitis B have children.
Well the answer is no. There is no risk for a mother with hepatitis B to breast feed his child. The infant will not suffer from any negative influences when the response of the anti hepatitis B is concerned. Many tests have been made concerning mothers that have hepatitis B virus and have to breast feed their new- born.
All the results have shown that there us no big difference when immunoprophylaxis failure is concerned in children that have been breast feed by their mothers which carry the hepatitis B virus and the babies that were feed by bottle. Another question asked was whether there was a bigger risk of transmitting hepatitis B to the infant if brestfeed by the mother that carry the hepatitis B virus. The answer was given after some studies made by doctors. If the infant is vaccinated against hepatitis B and taking into consideration hepatitis B globulin, the infant that is breast feed by his hepatitis B carrying mother is not at more risk of getting hepatitis B from her.
There is also the problem of infection with hepatitis B virus of the fetus. The answer is very simple. Even if the mother has the hepatitis B virus, the infection with hepatitis in the uterus may be stopped by injections . This method does not have any side- effects and can protect the fetus from hepatitis B virus.
Another matter that we must take into consideration when talking about hepatitis B is the vaccine. The question is can pregnant women get vaccinated against hepatitis B? And the answer is very satisfying, yes they can. This liver problem, hepatitis B in pregnancies can not be associated with an increased rate of abortion or congenital malformation. However, there is a matter to take into consideration if pregnant and having hepatitis B virus. If this hepatitis virus is aquired in your last trimester, your child might be born early. Another problem is that more than half of the women that contact hepatitis B virus in their last days of pregnancy are more than likely to transmit the hepatitis virus to their children.
For more resources about causes of hepatitis c please review http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-treatment.htm or even http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-information.htm
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Hepatitis A- a Medical Condition
This disease, hepatitis affects a person' s liver. Having hepatitis means that your liver is inflamed and swollen. The cause of hepatitis can either be a microorganism or because your liver is damaged by other things like alcohol.
There are five different types of hepatitis, like hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, that are cause by hepatitis viruses. This hepatitis virus grows in a person' s liver and causes a lot of damage to this organ. Our immune system fights back against hepatitis, but is takes a while to eliminate the infection in our liver.
To better understand hepatitis, you must first know how you can get this disease. Well, before a person gets sick, but has already contacted the hepatitis A virus, they shed it in their feces. If somehow the hepatitis A virus gets into the main water supply and you use it to wash your body, food, etc. you are a possible hepatitis victim. This way of spread the hepatitis A virus is called fecal- oral transmission. This is the most common form of transmitting the viral hepatitis.
People who live in countries that are just developing are more at risk of developing hepatitis, because the sewage system is not properly cleaned. So much of the water that these people use is contaminated by the hepatitis virus that spreads very easily and causes hepatitis A. This hepatitis virus does not kick in from the beginning. It may take about 30 days for the symptoms of hepatitis to show. This time that the hepatitis virus does not show any symptoms is called an incubation period. However, many of the people infected with the hepatitis virus will not develop hepatitis. This is mostly true in children. Older people are more at risk of getting hepatitis.
Some of the most common hepatitis symptoms are tiredness, nausea, vomiting, a general loss of your apatite. Another major hepatitis symptom is pain in your liver area, that is in the right side of the abdomen, under your ribs. A striking hepatitis symptom is the change in color. Your skin will become yellow to orange and the white portion of your eyes will also become yellow if you have hepatitis. In most people the symptoms of hepatitis last about one month. After proper treatment, the hepatitis A will no longer be a problem for you.
There is also a simple way of avoiding infection with the hepatitis A virus and that is the hepatitis A vaccine.
For more resources about hepatitis c treatment please review http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/causes-of-hepatitis-c.htm or even http://www.hepatitis-guide.com/hepatitis-c-symptoms.htm
Author: Groshan Fabiola
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Prevent Heart Cancer
Heart cancer usually related to Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, thats mean, generally the sufferers ever been infected by Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Hepatitis B and C contaminate by body liquid. Hepatitis B and C's virus can spread through sexual activity, hypodermic needle and blood transfusion.
Generally, at this time for blood transfusion in Indonesia is safe, because before blood given, it must screening from Hepatitis B, C & HIV, with the result the possibility of hepatitis & HIV spread from blood transfusion are small. Hepatitis symptom usually start by dengue, queasy, rheumatic pain, yellow eye, urine color florid like tea. But, it's not always happen to all sufferers.
Hepatitis C symptom often lighter than with hepatitis A or B. Generally, after got Hepatitis A, sufferer will complete heal, none of them will be chronic. Most of hepatitis B will heal too, only 5-10 % will be chronic. If hepatitis B become chronic then most of hepatitis B's sufferers will be heart cirrhosis and heart cancer.
The possibility sufferers of hepatitis C become chronic hepatitis are higher than hepatitis A or B. A part of them will be heart cirrhosis and heart cancer. Only a few of hepatitis B's sufferers become heart cancer, this is also occur to hepatitis C's sufferers too. Usually, it's need 17 until 20 years for hepatitis C's sufferers to grow and become heart cirrhosis or heart cancer.
At this time, there is new medicine for hepatitis B, its call lamivudin. The form is tablet, drink once a day. While for healing hepatitis C is available Interferon medicine (injection) and Ribavirin (capsule) and for using this medicines, sufferers need control from a doctor.
Blood test result show that anti HBs positive it means we infected by hepatitis B's virus, but there is nothing more virus in our blood (HbsAg negative). Even show that our body have immune from hepatitis B (anti HBs positif). In consequence, as long as our degree of antibody antiHBs are high, then we don't need to get vaccination again. Hepatitis B's immunisation can start since a baby.
Anti HCV negative mean we didn't yet infected by Hepatitis C. Heretofore, there isn't yet vaccine for Hepatitis C then we need more careful, so we don't get contagion hepatitis C. Avoid contact with body liquid from other person. The effective alternate way for decrease frequency of heart cancer is hepatitis B's immunisation. This method has been proved by many country. In fact, if a country have a good hepatitis B's immunisation program, the decrease of heart cancer's frequency are obvious.