Parenteral viral hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver that is caused by viruses that enter the human body through violations and damage to the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes. Infection occurs through contact with contaminated blood or other body fluids.
Viral hepatitis B and C are a problem in the modern world. Every second sick person is young people from 20 to 40 years old. Chronic viral hepatitis is most often recorded. The long-term consequences of chronic infection are the gradual destruction of liver cells, the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
If a pregnant woman becomes infected, there is a risk of transmitting the infection to her unborn child. For hepatitis C this risk is 5%, for hepatitis B – from 6 to 60%.
Main routes of infection:
• casual sexual intercourse (viruses are actively transmitted during unprotected sexual contact, as they are contained in semen, vaginal secretions, and the blood of a sick person);
• intra-family sexual and contact-household infection, incl. when sharing towels, shaving and manicure accessories and other personal hygiene items with the patient;
• injection drug use (it has been proven that a single use of a drug is sufficient for infection with parenteral viral hepatitis (hereinafter referred to as PVH);
• carrying out tattoos, piercings (most often in unsuitable places - with friends, private individuals at home): during tattooing and piercing, the integrity of the skin is violated and these cosmetic procedures pose a risk of contracting various infectious diseases transmitted through blood, such as PVH B and C, HIV infection;
• medical manipulations in case of violation of the sterilization regime for instruments.
The source of the causative agent of viral hepatitis B and C is a person with hepatitis or an asymptomatic carrier of the virus.
The virus is contained in all biological fluids of a sick person: the largest amount is in blood, semen, vaginal secretions (sometimes even a drop of the patient’s blood invisible to the naked eye is enough to infect a healthy person); in lower concentrations - in saliva, urine, breast milk, sweat.
The stability of viruses in the environment is extremely high - at room temperature, on objects and surfaces of the external environment, viruses persist for up to 3 months.
The disease can occur in a clinically pronounced and asymptomatic form. An infected person develops a feeling of general weakness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, appetite worsens, up to its absence, and pain in large joints. The liver and spleen gradually enlarge, itchy skin appears, urine darkens and becomes “beer-colored,” and feces become discolored. And finally, the icteric period begins, lasting from 2 weeks to 1.5 months. First, the eyes, the mucous membranes of the hard palate and the frenulum of the tongue turn yellow, and later the skin becomes colored. Symptoms of intoxication increase (headache, drowsiness, fever). There is a feeling of heaviness and aching or paroxysmal pain in the right hypochondrium. Then the jaundice gradually fades away and a period of recovery begins. However, acute infection in some patients develops into carriage of PIH markers or into chronic hepatitis. If hepatitis B is characterized by chronicity of the process in 5-10% of cases, for hepatitis B+D – in 60% of casesev, then for hepatitis C - in 80-90% of cases. The development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is the result of long-term persistence of the virus in the body.
Prevention and protection measures
The most reliable specific preventive measure against hepatitis B is vaccination against hepatitis B. The vaccine used is characterized by high efficiency: at least 98% of those vaccinated develop immunity to the virus for 15 years or more; The vaccine is well tolerated.
If you are not vaccinated against hepatitis B, be sure to get vaccinated.
Important preventive measures to prevent infection include:
• having a single sexual partner;
• mandatory use of a condom;
• categorical refusal to administer intravenous drugs;
• caution towards tattooing and piercing, especially in unsuitable conditions where the sterility of objects and equipment is not maintained;
• maintaining personal hygiene, using only individual towels, scissors, washcloths, razors, combs, toothbrushes and other hygiene items.
You can reduce the risk of infection by following these rules. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
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