Hepatitis Essay

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Hepatitis is a disease which is caused by an injury to the liver causing inflammation that can be short-term or long lasting (Balistreri). There are five forms of viral Hepatitis known as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Hepatitis E. Each form of Hepatitis is very unique to the other and it is very important to understand the causes and effects of each one.
Hepatitis A is the first viral form of Hepatitis which is common amongst poverty stricken countries due to the poor sanitary conditions (Balistreri). Hepatitis A is most commonly transferred through drinking water and food when they have been infected with fecal matter. Hepatitis A may also be transferred when a person has failed to wash their hands after going to the restroom in which case they had fecal matter on their person and then come into contact with another person infecting them.
Most people may not know they are infected with Hepatitis A because symptoms may not be immediate. People who do have symptoms can experience them for one week or several months. Elder people with Hepatitis tend to have additional and longer lasting symptoms than younger people. Symptoms for Hepatitis include the following: “jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, and dark urine” these symptoms range from moderate to being very severe (Viral Hepatitis). When you begin to experience such symptoms it is very important to schedule a blood test with a doctor to get a diagnostic. This blood test will either identify hepatitis A antibodies or will come back negative. When diagnosed doctors will be able to help treat you and kick the virus out of your system.
Hepatitis A can be treated/ prevented with a protein call gamma ...

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... in the United States. There are no medications or vaccines for this disease. Doctors recommend bed rest and many fluids and avoid anything that could damage the liver including over-the-counter prescriptions. Since no vaccines are available it is important to avoid dirty water the most common way to transfer hepatitis E.
Since there are many types of the hepatitis virus it is very important to be educated and well aware of not only this disease but ever disease. There are many large corporations such as the NIAID researching hepatitis and how to make this world safer from it. There is still much to be learned about hepatitis that is why it is very important to stay educated. All around hepatitis is preventable if we take action and live life by a few basic principles, we would be able to slow the transmission rate and decrease the amount of infected individuals.

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