Hepatitis C
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If you've been exposed to hepatitis, it is important to know exactly which type of hepatitis you have. The best thing you can do is talk to your doctor or someone from your local health department about the specific circumstances of exposure.
Hepatitis A is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. This means that you must get something in your mouth which is contaminated with stool from an infected person. Most infections result from contact with a household member or sexual partner who has hepatitis A. Sometimes, infection results from eating food or drink which is contaminated with the hepatitis A virus. Gamma globulin, if given within 2 weeks of exposure, can prevent infection. It is given to people who live in the same house as a person with hepatitis A, to sexual contacts of a person with hepatitis A, or to other children in the same day care center with a child with hepatitis A. Gamma globulin is NOT given to casual contacts of a person with hepatitis A, such as friends or coworkers, because the risk of infection in these situations is extremely small.
Hepatitis B is a bloodborne infection. It is transmitted by exposure to the blood of an infected person or by sexual contact with an infected person. Infants become infected by exposure to an infected mother's blood during birth. Hepatitis B can be prevented by the hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted by stool contamination of food or beverages or by casual contact with friends or coworkers. If you have been exposed, a special type of gamma globulin, called hepatitis B immune globulin, can help prevent infection, and is usually given along with hepatitis B vaccine.
Hepatitis B vaccine is synthetically produced and does not contain blood products. Three doses of vaccine are required and will provide protection in 80 to 95 per cent of persons who get all three doses. The vaccination schedule most often used is 3 intramuscular injections, with the second and third doses administered at 1 and 6 months after the first.
Adults and older children should receive the injections in the upper arm. Infants should receive the injections in the thigh. Hepatitis B vaccine should never be given in the buttock. Hepatitis B vaccine should only be give intramuscularly.
Hepatitis B vaccine may be given with other vaccines at the same time, in a different location.
All pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis B using the hepatitis B surface antigen test.
Infants born to mothers infected with hepatitis B virus should receive hepatitis B immune globulin intramuscularly within 12 hours of birth for maximum effectiveness. Hepatitis B vaccine should be given at the same time but at a different site. The vaccine series should be completed by receiving a second dose at one month of age and the final dose at six months of age. Hepatitis B vaccine may be administered at the same time with other childhood vaccines.
Infants born to infected mothers should have blood tests three to nine months after the last dose of vaccine to determine if the treatment was effective.
If the mother is first identified as infected with the hepatitis B virus more than one month after delivery, the infant should be tested. If testing is negative for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis B immune globulin should be given with the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.
Gamma globulin, hepatitis B immune globulin, and hepatitis B vaccine are safe when administered to infants, children, and adults. All of these products can be administered during pregnancy and breast-feeding. No instance of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS, or other viruses has been observed with any of these products. Only limited data are available on the safety of hepatitis B vaccine for the developing fetus. However, because the vaccine contains only noninfectious material, there should be no risk to the fetus. In contrast, hepatitis B virus infection in a pregnant woman may result in severe disease for the mother and long-lasting infection in the newborn.
Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a viral infection which causes inflammation in the liver. Hepatitis C, also called non-A, non-B hepatitis, is another bloodborne infection, and may result from exposure to blood or body fluids that contain the hepatitis C virus. Persons at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis C include injecting drug users, health-care workers with occupational exposure to blood, hemodialysis patients, and blood transfusion recipients. Hepatitis C is transmitted by exposure to the blood of a person with hepatitis C. It may also be transmitted by sexual contact. Hepatitis C is NOT transmitted by casual contact with coworkers or friends. There is no known treatment to prevent infection.
A blood test was recently developed that detects antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. Currently, this test is mainly being used to screen blood donors for hepatitis C virus infection. The test cannot distinguish between recent infection, or infection that has been present for a long time. Also, the test can not tell the difference between those who are infectious and can pass the disease, and those who have recovered and are no longer infectious.
It is recommended that persons who have a positive test for hepatitis C should see their physician for further evaluation and counseling. Because some tests may be wrong, your physician may need to repeat the test in order to decide what the positive test means.
Persons who have a positive test for hepatitis C should see their physicians for further evaluation and counselling. If you have a positive hepatitis C test you should be considered potentially infectious and:
The risk of infecting someone else by sexual intercourse is unknown, however, in order to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including hepatitis and AIDS, it is recommended that:
The effectiveness of latex condoms in preventing infection with hepatitis C virus is unknown, but their proper use may reduce transmission. In order to decide whether you should change your sexual practices you should consult your physician.
The risk of transmission of the hepatitis C virus from an infected mother to her infant appears to be very low. At the present time, there is no evidence to support advising against pregnancy based on a positive hepatitis C test, or to advise any special treatments or precautions for pregnant women or their offspring.
Viral Hepatitis D and E are newer entities that have been found to exist and cause hepatitis. Your doctor may consider these if the initial tests for Viral Hepatitis A, B and/or C are negative.
If you think you were exposed to any type of hepatitis and need additional information, we recommend that you talk to your doctor.