HEPATITIS A & B

•Transmission: faecal-oral

•Incubation: 2-6weeks

•High-risk countries:
Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, South America

    In these regions almost every child comes into contact with the hepatitis A virus before the age of 10

•

•The proportion of symptomatic forms

     and complications increase with age

 •Diagnosis:   AST, ALT, IgM, IgG

•Prevention: Hygienic measures

                            Immunization ( gives <3 months

                            immunity to those at risk)

                           

• Treatment: nospecific, dietary food and long rest

•

•CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE DOES NOT OCCUR!

ACUTE              CHRONIC- 5-10%

                                               (infection >6months)

•

•Every year 1 to 2 million people die due to an infection by this virus

                         complications of chronic hepatitis

•

•More than 350 million chronically infected worldwide

•Established cause of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis

•Human carcinogen—cause of up to 80% of hepatocellular carcinomas

•More than 600,000 deaths worldwide in 2002

•Hepadnavirus family (DNA)

•

•Numerous antigenic components

•

•Humans are only known host

•Fulminant hepatitis

•Hospitalization

•Cirrhosis

•Hepato cellular carcinoma

•Death

•Transmission: blood and body fluids, IV drug      

                                    abusers, sexual transmission

•Hepatitis B virus primarily interferes with functions of the liver by replicating in liver cells

    Incubation period 6 weeks to 6 months (average 120 days)

•

•Nonspecific prodrome of fever, malaise, headache, myalgia

•At least 50% of infections asymptomatic

•Any sexual and intimate contact

• Blood transfussion

•Infected mother to newborn

•Kissing

•Needle sharing

•Sharing a toothbrush

Tattoo/body piercing instruments

•Diagnosis: HBsAg - 1-6 months after exposure

                             HBeAg - 1-3 months after acute illness,          

                                             high infectivity

                             Anti-HBc - past infection

                             Anti-HBs - implies vaccination

    HBsAg-positive for at least 6 months - hepatitis B carriers (may have chronic hepatitis B)

•Prevent perinatal HBV transmission

•Routine vaccination of all infants

•Vaccination of children in high-risk groups

•Vaccination of adolescents

•Vaccination of adults in high-risk groups

•Prevention: Vaccination

                               Avoid all Risk factors

•Treatment: Chronic- PAGinterferon-2α

                             Antiviral drugs (lamivudine...)

THANKS YOU