HEPATITIS - GET TESTED. GET TREATED. What is hepatitis? Hepatitis is a swelling or inflammation of your liver. It can be caused by a virus, drugs or other factors. Hepatitis can be acute (lasts less than 6 months) or chronic (lasts for longer than 6 months). Hepatitis caused by the B and C viruses are the most common types of chronic hepatitis. In the U.S. there are an estimated 1.2 million people with chronic hepatitis B and 4.8 million with chronic hepatitis C. When talking about hepatitis C, some people shorten hepatitis C to HCV; and hepatitis B to HBV. Other forms of hepatitis, like hepatitis A and E, do not cause chronic hepatitis, but will make you ill for a period of time. How do I know I have hepatitis? People with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C (HCV) often will have no idea they are sick, or they may have very mild signs of a problem. The first sign of a problem is usually fatigue, or feeling tired. Many people find out they have hepatitis when they go the doctor for a regular check up. Blood tests can show how well your liver is working. Other blood tests may look for the virus itself or for antibodies (proteins your body makes to fight the virus) that might have built up in the blood. Hepatitis is sometimes found when people donate blood. Before a blood donation is given to a patient it is carefully checked for any hepatitis virus. If hepatitis is present, the blood will not be used and the person who donated it will be sent a letter telling them to get checked by a doctor. It is important to tell your doctor if you have any of the risk factors for hepatitis. If you are worried about hepatitis, ask your doctor to test you. Do you "catch" hepatitis like you "catch" a cold or flu? Both hepatitis B and C are spread by coming in contact with human blood, and possibly with other body fluids too. Many people who have hepatitis B and C do not know how they were infected. We do know you are at high risk for HBV and HCV if you: had a blood transfusion before 1992 Use or used intravenous drugs Snort or snorted drugs Have been in contact with the blood of someone who has hepatitis B or C (by sharing a razor or toothbrush for example) Have a tattoo or body piercing Have a job that exposes you to human blood Have had multiple sexual partners What about a vaccine? There are vaccines available to guard against getting hepatitis B, but there is no vaccine to prevent the spread of hepatitis C. If there are no symptoms, why should I worry? Hepatitis C is a disease that can do permanent damage to your liver. Sometimes it takes as long as 40 years for this damage to occur, but it can happen in much less time too. Hepatitis is very unpredictable. Unfortunately, the signs of Hepatitis C often do not occur until there is damage to the liver. Hepatitis C is the number one reason that people need liver transplants in the United States. It also can cause cancer of the liver called Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatitis C can also cause cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. When there is scarring the liver can't do its job. We can not live without our liver. What can I do? Take a good look at the risk factors for hepatitis, if you have any of them, you should Get Tested - Get Treated. If you want to know the name of a doctor in your area that is a specialist in hepatitis, just give us a call. The idea is to get treatment before there is damage to your liver. What is the treatment for hepatitis? During the 1990's, the FDA approved drugs known as Interferons for use to treat viral hepatitis B and C. The Interferon dosage and how often you take the drug depends on your specific disease. This drug treatment is known as single agent or monotherapy. In the summer of 1998, the FDA approved the use of the combination of Ribavirin (an oral antiviral agent) and Interferon Alpha-2b for the treatment of hepatitis C. Clinical studies using combination therapy have been shown to greatly improve patient response and outcomes. The FDA has approved combination therapy for persons who were not successful on Interferon alone. In the near future, the FDA is expected to approve combination therapy as treatment for people who have never been treated for their Hepatitis C disease. What about side effects? Most people on Interferon therapy experience some side effects that go away after the first two or three weeks of treatment. The most common side effects are "flu-like" symptoms, depression, headache and decreased appetite. The flu-like symptoms can be helped by taking Acetaminophen (Tylenol), taking the Interferon at bedtime and drinking plenty of fluids. The side effects reported for the combination therapy of Interferon Alpha-2b and Ribavirin are similar to those seen with Interferon alone, such as anemia, cardiac and psychiatric events including depression. Women and men who may be planning to have children should consult with their doctors before beginning combination therapy. Doctors and nurses keep a close watch on your blood to make sure your white cells (infection fighters), platelets (blood clotters) and hemoglobin are at good levels. What if I don't take treatment? About 20 - 30% of untreated patients will develop cirrhosis over a period of years. Liver transplantation has become an accepted form of therapy when chronic Hepatitis C becomes life threatening. This usually happens as a result of the complications of cirrhosis. Unfortunately, the transplant is not a cure. The hepatitis C virus usually reoccurs in the new liver too. There are more people waiting for liver transplantation, than there are livers available. The best approach is to get tested and get treated to prevent cirrhosis from ever starting. By treating people with Interferon treatment for longer periods of time and buy combining Interferon Alpha-2b with Ribavirin we are more successful than ever. How do I get more information? For more information on hepatitis, treatment, and names of doctors in in your area call 1-888-367-LOLA (5652).