Antiviral treatment is used in some cases, especially for treating Hepatitis C, but many of the side effects of this treatment are similar to the symptoms of hepatitis itself, and can become so life threatening that such treatments must be discontinued in some cases. In cases where treatment is absolutely needed but antiviral treatments either will not adequately address the cause of the disease or is deemed too dangerous, the only real option for treatment is a liver transplant -- when symptoms are bad enough to cause immediate concerns for health and quality of life, the liver is often too damaged for the body to repair it. It is for this reason that hepatitis often goes untreated; the complications of a liver transplant can themselves be life-threatening and lead to ongoing health problems, making it hardly preferable to most mild cases of hepatitis despite the...
The use of intravenous drugs is a common way for the transfer of viral forms of the disease -- not using these drugs or ever sharing needles with others is a solid way of preventing the spread of infections. In a similar fashion, practicing safe sex is another method of prevention, and generally taking care of one's liver by avoiding alcohol and drug abuse will also increase one's ability to fend of the progression of the disease.
As the liver damage progresses, these symptoms may grow more severe. "The hepatitis C virus is linked to an increased risk of porphyria cutanea tarda, a condition that may cause a blistering rash, to cryoglobulinemia, which can cause a purplish rash (purpura) on…lower extremities, and may cause kidney damage" (Complications, 2009, The Mayo Clinic). Symptoms Many patients have no specific symptoms and the finding of abnormal hepatic transaminase levels on routine
Hepatitis A Causative agent Virus Affects the liver Symptomatic 2-6 weeks after exposure Speaker notes: Hepatitis A is caused by a virus. Symptoms of hepatitis A include dark-colored urine, pale stools, chronic fatigue (with no other explanation), itching, anorexia (loss of appetite) and nausea, fever, vomiting, and jaundice. The symptoms usually present manifest 2-6 weeks after the initial exposure (Zieve 2011). To test for the disease, the doctor may test for raised IgM and IgG
Hepatitis C What is the leading cause of liver disease? What could cause so many people to require liver transplants? Most people on the street today would think that the answer to those questions would be alcoholism. And, although alcohol does do its fair share of damage to livers around the world, there is a greater source causing chronic liver disease out there. This term paper will attempt to shed light on
Hepatitis C Treatments: Their Link to Depression and Implications for the Social Worker The most commonly used treatment for patients suffering from Hepatitis C, a deadly liver disease, is the drug interferon combined with ribavirin. This treatment offers the most promise for a long-term positive prognosis. However, it has a known high rate for negative psychological side effects such as depression and other anxiety disorders. Clinical psychology can offer some solutions
Hepatitis C Anatomy of the Liver The liver is found at the upper right hand portion of the abdominal opening just under the diaphragm, but over the stomach, right kidney and intestines. It is a cone shaped organ that weighs approximately 3 pounds and appears to be dark red in color (USC Liver Transplant Program and Center for Liver Disease, 2012). (1) right lobe, (2) left lobe, (3) caudate lobe, (4) quadrate lobe,
It is primarily transmitted from patients to healthcare workers through exposure to infected blood by mistakes in procedures involving sharp instruments and needles. For this reason, healthcare workers are routinely vaccinated against blood-borne Hepatitis (Taylor, 2005). It is also possible to acquire HBV infection through sexual intercourse and especially through injection of intravenous drugs because IV drug users often share needles. While there is no cure for HBV infection, diagnosis is
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