The only way to diagnose the infection is through blood tests. More typically, there's no diagnosis. In these cases, after fifteen to twenty-five years of liver inflammation, the liver either completely fails or a liver cancer will develop. Both outcomes are fatal.
Treatment
Hepatitis A does not require treatment; it goes away on its own (good news for those who never met a raw oyster they didn't like). The treatments for Hepatitis B and C are new and the jury is still out on them. Hepatitis B and C are often treated with a medication called interferon and various other anti-viral drugs. Patients are typically treated for six months to two years with the drugs, and the interferon is given by needle injection, not orally (yet another reason to avoid exposure to viral hepatitis). Side effects from the interferon include flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, and depression.
Prevention
There is a very effective vaccine against Hepatitis B. All people who are exposed to blood in their occupation (e.g., hospital employees, paramedics, etc.), intravenous drug abusers, people who have had blood transfusions, and anyone who is sexually active should be vaccinated. Universal vaccination of children is also recommended.
There is also a vaccine against Hepatitis A. It has been recommended for use by those who travel to certain countries and by those who engage in the sexual practice of "rimming," or anal-oral contact.
The best way to defeat Hepatitis B and C is to avoid them in the first place. The U.S. screens its blood supply for these viruses. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1999, the current risk from blood transfusions in the hospital is around than 1 per 100,000 units of blood. Therefore, by far the greatest predictor of infection is your behavior.
Behaviors that can increase your risk of Hepatitis B and C:
- Unprotected sex (that is, without a condom)
- Intravenous drug use
- Tattoos (if you must get a tattoo, make sure the needle is properly sterilized before it touches your skin)
