The Alabama Department of Public Health
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge the public to learn the
risk factors of viral hepatitis.
The month of May has been designated as Hepatitis
Awareness Month, and May 19 is the first national observance of Hepatitis
Testing Day.
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Toxins, certain drugs, some diseases, heavy alcohol
use, and bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis. Hepatitis is
also the name of a family of viral infections that affect the liver. The most
common types are hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Here are some facts about hepatitis:
- 3.5 to 5.3
million Americans are living with chronic (lifelong) viral hepatitis—hepatitis
B or hepatitis C. Most of them do not know that they are infected, placing them
at greater risk for severe, even fatal, complications from the disease and
increasing the likelihood that they will spread the virus to others.
- A specific
blood test is the only way to know if you have viral hepatitis.
- Hepatitis A
virus spreads when a person ingests contaminated food or water, is exposed to
contaminated objects, or has been in close contact with an infected person.
- Hepatitis B
and C viruses can cause chronic hepatitis, leading to cirrhosis, liver failure
and liver cancer.
- Anyone can
get hepatitis B or C, but some populations are disproportionately burdened with
these infections, including African Americans; Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders; past and current injection drug users; persons born between
1945-1965; and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
- Hepatitis B
can be transmitted through exposure to blood or through sex. Hepatitis C is
mainly transmitted through exposure to blood.
- Hepatitis A
and B can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine. There is no hepatitis
C vaccine.
- Treatments
exist for both hepatitis B and C.
For more information about the different forms of hepatitis and the symptoms it can cause just go to the Alabama Department of Public Health's website.
