|
Chronic active hepatitis Causes and Risks:
Causes of chronic active hepatitis include viral infection, drug ingestion, metabolic disorders, or autoimmune diseases . There may also be no apparent cause. The disease is characterized by necrosis or death of liver cells, active inflammation, and fibrosis that may lead to liver failure, cirrhosis , and death. The incidence is 1 out of 10,000 people. Risk factors are autoimmune diseases, previous infection with non-A non-B hepatitis , or a positive hepatitis A or hepatitis B antigen for over 6 months.
Prevention:
Chronic active hepatitis may follow an infection with hepatitis B virus or hepatitis nonA, nonB virus ( hepatitis C ).
The following measures can help prevent chronic hepatitis of viral causes: - Wash hands thoroughly or clean up extensively after using the restroom if there us any contact with an affected person's blood, feces, or body fluids.
- Hepatitis B vaccine is available for people in high-risk groups.
- Avoid contact with blood or blood products.
- Avoid sexual contact with a person infected with hepatitis B.
Also, blood banks screen blood donors for the virus.
Symptoms:
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
Signs and Tests:
This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:
Treatment:
Treatment depends on the cause. Prednisone or other corticosteroids help to reduce the inflammatory process. Azathioprine or mercaptopurine are drugs used to treat immune disorders and have shown to benefit patients with hepatitis . Activity should be modified according to symptoms, but bed rest is not indicated. A well-balanced diet is necessary to promote healing.
Support Groups:
The stress of illness can often be helped by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. See liver disease - support group .
Prognosis:
About 40 to 50% of patients with chronic active hepatitis die within 5 years of the onset of symptoms, usually from liver failure and complications of portal hypertension (increased pressure in the liver veins).
Complications:
Call Your Healthcare Provider:
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of chronic active hepatitis develop.
Call your health care provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms develop (particularly increased jaundice or abdominal pain ).
Hepatitis B is also known as serum hepatitis and is spread through blood and sexual contact. It is seen with increased frequency among intravenous drug users who share needles and among the homosexual population. This photograph is an electronmicroscopic image of hepatitis B virus particles. (Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
This illustration shows the major organs of the digestive system. Their relative sizes and positioning in the body are also demonstrated.
|
