Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is considered a very contagious liver infection caused by type A of the virus. Not as severe as other kinds of viral hepatitis, this form of disease can cause inflammation that affects the patient’s liver, especially its ability to function. This kind of disease can be taken from contaminated food and water or from close contact with an infected individual, even if he presents no obvious signs.
In almost all the cases, the disease manifests asymptomatically, but when the patient does experience signs and symptoms, they are similar to the ones caused by a severe form of flu. Usually, mild cases of Hepatitis A do not need treatment, because almost all patients who have been infected can completely recover, without permanent liver damage. Unlike the other form of the disease, this type does not develop into chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis, both considered life threatening conditions. There are many ways to prevent the development of Hepatitis A; they can include practicing a good hygiene, washing the hands often, or administrating effective vaccines. This kind of condition is usually transmitted through the oral route, which means that a patient can contact the disease by eating without washing his hands after using the toilet, or drinking contaminated water. Usually, the disease is contagious in the first stages, when the patient does not experience symptoms. The virus can also be sexually transmitted or by sharing needles with an infected person, or in some rare cases, through blood transfusion with blood infected with the virus.
Chronic Hepatitis B
The Chronic Hepatitis B virus affects the patient’s liver, thus causing a swelling called hepatitis. This virus is a DNA virus and a single of many non-related viruses which can cause viral hepatitis. This disease was initially known by the name of “serum hepatitis”, and has resulted in epidemics in some parts of Africa and Asia. Chronic Hepatitis B is now endemic in China and some other Asian continent parts. The world’s population which is currently plagued with the virus is estimated at 3 percent to 6 percent, but almost a third of the world’s population is thought to have been exposed to the virus.
The earliest record from an epidemic that was caused by the Chronic Hepatitis B virus was created by Lurman in the year 1885. An epidemic of smallpox occurred in Bremen in the year 1883 and one thousand two hundred eighty-nine employees of a shipyard were to be vaccinated with other people’s lymph. After several weeks had passed, and eventually after up to eight months, 191 vaccinated workers were ill, presenting jaundice. They have been diagnosed to suffer from serum hepatitis. Some other workers who were inoculated with some different lymph batches stood healthy. Lurman’s paper (which is now looked at like a classical epidemiological study example) revealed that lymph which was contaminated was the true outbreak source. Later, a lot of similar outbreaks have been reported to follow the introduction. In 1909, a group of hypodermic needles were used, and then, more importantly, even reused in the administration of Salvarsan to treat of syphilis.
