Getting Hip to Hep
What you need to know about
hepatitis A, B and C
What is Hepatitis?
• Hepatitis means inflammation of the
liver –
– In Latin, “Hepa” means liver,
– “itis” means inflammation, just like
• Tonsilitis- inflammation of the TONSILS
• Appendicitis – inflammation of the APPENDIX
• Most common types of hepatitis are:
• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
How do I know if I have it?
• You may or may not have signs and
symptoms
• All viral hepatitis conditions can be
diagnosed using a simple blood test
Symptoms
You might have:
• Tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Stomach-ache
• Diarrhea
• Dark urine
• Light-colored stools
• Jaundice (yellow skin
and eyes)
Not everyone has symptoms.
Few Hepatitis Definitions
• Acute hepatitis: newly infected
• Chronic (life-long) hepatitis: long-lasting
infection
Facts About Your Liver
• Largest internal organ
• Located on the right
hand side under the rib
cage
• 3 lbs
• Size of a football
• Has over 500 vital
functions
• You cannot live without
your liver
What does the liver do?
• It’s like a vacuum
– It cleans out poisons from your body
• It’s like a warehouse
– It stores vitamins and minerals
• It’s like a body builder
– It produces just the right amount of amino acids
to build strong and healthy muscles
• It’s like a gas station
– It keeps the body fueled up with the just the right
amount of glucose (sugar)
What else does the liver do?
• It’s like a factory
– It produces an important digestive liquid
called bile
• It’s like a Band-Aid
– It makes factors that cause your blood to
clot when you bleed
• It’s like a meter
– It regulates hormones
True or False
If you remove a piece of your liver, it can
grow back?
TRUE
Liver Damage
The liver can be damaged by
– hepatitis viruses
– drugs, even over-the-counter medicines
– bacteria
– parasites
– toxins like alcohol
Toxins can kill liver cells – the more toxins you take
in, the more you damage your liver
Healthy Liver vs. Sick Liver
This is a healthy liver
This is a sick, scarred
liver (cirrhosis)
Hepatitis A Virus
• Discovered in the 1940’s
• Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
is found in the stool
(poop)
• HAV is spread by the
fecal–oral route
How is Hepatitis A Spread ?
• Person to person contact
– living with someone who has hepatitis A
– having sexual contact with someone who has
hepatitis A
– in child care centers (especially centers that have
children in diapers) where a child or an employee
has hepatitis A
• Eating food contaminated with hepatitis A
virus
– Eating fruits, vegetables, or other food that have
become contaminated during handling
– Eating raw shellfish harvested from sewagecontaminated water
• Drinking contaminated water or swallowing
contaminated ice
Ways to Prevent
HAV Infection
• Hepatitis A Vaccine
– Usually given as two shots
– safe and effective
– protection will probably last for at least 20
years
– Can be given in combination with hepatitis B TWINRIX
Other Ways to Prevent
HAV Infection
• Wash your hands
• Wear gloves if you have to clean
surfaces contaminated with stool (e.g.,
diaper changing tables)
Treatment
• There is no specific medication or pill
for hepatitis A.
• Once fully recovered:
– You cannot get hepatitis A again
– You are no longer infected and cannot give
the infection to others
Hepatitis B Virus
• First recognized in
1960s
• HBV is found in:
– the blood and body
fluids (e.g., semen,
vaginal fluids) of an
infected person
Hepatitis B Virus – Show me the
numbers
• 100 times more infectious than HIV
• About 5% of Americans have been infected
• About 1.25 million people living in the United
States have chronic (life-long) HBV infection.
– About 15%-25% of persons with chronic HBV
infection might die from either cirrhosis or liver
cancer.
• Approximately 90% of babies born with HBV
will have it for a lifetime.
How can it spread?
• Sexual contact with an infected person without
using a condom
• Injection drug use
– Sharing needles, syringes or “works” (e.g., water,
cookers, cotton, spoons) when “shooting” drugs
• Tattoos and body piercing
– Tattoo or body piercing done with tools that might
have someone else’s blood on them
• From an infected mother to her child at birth
• Sharing personal care items, such as
toothbrushes or razors with an infected person
Question
What is the one thing you all have in
common when it comes to hepatitis B?
You all have been vaccinated against
hepatitis B
Hepatitis B Vaccine
• Hepatitis B vaccine is usually given as three
shots over a 4-6 month period
• Combination vaccine – hepatitis A and B
together - TWINRIX
• Hepatitis vaccines are safe and effective
– protection will last for at least 15 years
• Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:
– all infants
– all children and adolescents
– adults at increased risk
Treatment
• There is no treatment for acute (new
infection) hepatitis B
• For chronic (life-long) hepatitis B,
antiviral medicines are available
– Medicines are effective in reducing liver
damage in about one-half of patients
• Liver transplant
– Over time your liver might stop working,
and you might need a new liver from a donor
Hepatitis C Virus Facts
• First identified in 1988
• HCV is found in the
blood of an infected
person
• Most common chronic
bloodborne virus
• More infectious than
HIV
• Has no vaccine
• Can be transmitted in
small amounts of blood
too small to be seen
• Symptoms are often
mild.
Hepatitis C – Show me the
Numbers
• Over 4 million Americans have been
infected
• 8,000 -10,000 Americans die from HCVrelated illness each year
• # 1 reason for liver transplantation in
the United States
• Over 200,000 people living in NY have
hepatitis C
How
is Hepatitis C Spread?
• Injection drug use
– Sharing needles, syringes or "works" (e.g.,
water, cookers, cotton, spoons) when
"shooting" drugs
• Blood transfusion (especially ones that
occurred before 1992; since then the US has
been checking the blood supply)
• Sex with an HCV-infected person
– Sex with many people
– Sex without a condom
– Sex while you have an STD
How
else is Hepatitis C Spread?
• Sharing items (e.g., razors or
toothbrushes) that might have blood on
them
• Tattoos and body piercing
– Tattoo or body piercing done with
tools that might have someone else’s
blood on them
– Tattoos done while in prison or jail
• From an HCV-infected mother to her
child at birth
Question
Name
ONE
famous
person
Who
has
hepatitis C?
Steven Tyler, Pam Anderson, Natalie Cole, Greg Allman, Naomi Judd
Treatment
• There is no treatment for acute (new
infection) hepatitis C
• For chronic (life-long) hepatitis C
antiviral medicines are available
– Treatment might take as long as a year
– About half of patients get rid of the virus
• Liver transplant
– Over time your liver might stop working and
you might need a new liver from a donor
Hepatitis C –Rating the Risk
• Take your behavior “Sticky Card” and
place it on the “Continuum of Risk” as
either
– High
– Medium
– Low
Low
Medium
High
Stay Hepatitis free
• Good handwashing
• Don’t share razors or toothbrushes
• Be careful if you are getting a tattoo or
piercing
• Don’t inject drugs or share needles or
works
• If you are having sex, practice SAFE
sex
• GET Vaccinated
Stay Hepatitis Free
• You cannot get hepatitis B or C from:
–
–
–
–
Food and water
Sharing eating utensils
Kissing on the cheek
Hugging or holding hands
• You cannot get hepatitis C from
breastfeeding
Surfing the Internet
•
•
•
•
•
•
www.cdc.gov/hepatitis
www.iwannaknow.org
www.ashastd.org
www.kidshealth.org
www.girlshealth.gov
www.sexetc.org
National Hepatitis Awareness
Month - May
Viral Hepatitis Poster Contest
• Open to all students in this class
• All posters should target young people
• Three categories:
– General Hepatitis Awareness
– Hepatitis B
– Hepatitis C
• Posters will be judged by NYS
Department of Health staff
Viral Hepatitis Poster Contest (2)
• Prizes:
– Grand Prize - $100 cash
– 2nd Place - $50 cash
– 3rd Place - $25 cash
• All posters will be displayed at the Empire
State Plaza (week of May 18)
• You must complete a Contest Release Form
• DEADLINE: April 21, 2009
– Submit poster and consent form to Mrs. Dwyer