HEPATITIS

Hepatitis is the infection of liver caused by a number of viruses not yet isolated.  To date six types of Hepatitis have been  discovered:- 

	Hepatitis A Virus	Hepatitis B Virus	Hepatitis C Virus	Hepatitis D Virus	Hepatitis E Virus	Hepatitis G Virus
Year of Identification	1973	1965	1969	1977	1980	1995
Classification Transmission	Picornavirus Fecal-oral	Hepadnavirus Parenteral close personal contact	Hepadnavirus Parenteral close personal contact	Hepadnavirus Parenteral close personal contact	Calciviridae Waterborne	Flavivirus Parenteral
Onset period (weeks)	2-6	4-26	2-26	4-7 in superinfection with HBV	2-8	Unknown
Complication	0.1%-0.4%	1%	Rare	3%-4% in coinfection	0.3%-3, 20% in pregnant women%	No
Carrier State	None	0.1%-1.0% of blood donors in United States and Western world.	0.2%-1.0% of blood donors in United States and Western world.	1%-10% in drug addicts and hemophiliacs	None	1%-4% of blood donors in United States (estimated).
Chronic Hepatitis	None	None5%-10% of acute infections	70%	5% coinfection, 80% superinfection	None	None
Liver Cancer	No	Yes	Yes	No increase above hepatitis B virus	No	No

Mothers can help to reduce the risk:-

Hepatitis is spreading more rapidly than AIDS and is globally threatening the lives of human beings. Hepatitis B virus alone infects an estimated 300,000 individuals  every year.

Mothers can reduce the risk factors of Hepatitis by taking some simple measures as follows :

• Always use boiled water or treated water for your family.
• Habit of washing hands after going to toilet and before taking meals    reduces the risk  up to 50% for both you and your children.
• Proper disposal of garbage, improving hygiene and proper sanitation is    mandatory.
• Nail must be clipped  properly to avoid accumulation inside of nail and    hazard for contamination of food.
• Wash fish and vegetables properly with clean water before cooking.
• Make sure that your children and family members are vaccinated    against Hepatitis B.
• Persons suffered from jaundice are not eligible to donate blood.
• Always insist for new syringe if injection is compulsory.
• Parental by contaminated syringe or blood.