My boss' father is in prison until 2006, I talk to him occasionally when he calls in to speak to my boss.

Today he called and wanted me to look up some info on the net and I knew just where to go first, PTO :)

Anyway, his questions are:

1) How is Hepatitis A, B, and C transmitted?

and

2) How do they affect you, symptoms, etc, particularly C.

He wants me to print and send this info.

Can anyone help me or direct me to the info?

Thanks so much in advance!

SCLady,

This was written for the March PTO Newsletter...

If you need more information let me know. The symptoms part is a difficult one. Symptoms may NOT appear in some people for years. Some symptoms are hard to equate directly to HepC - many are just general fatigue and low energy...

Here is the piece:

Hepatitis

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study that indicated that people who spend time in jails, prisons and juvenile correctional institutions have a disproportionately high prevalence of infectious diseases like Hepatitis C and are also more likely to engage in risky behaviours that expose them to such viruses. According to the CDC, nearly 40 percent of Americans with Hepatitis C have been released from a correctional facility in the last year and they are urging that more be done to treat and prevent the spread of the virus both within prisons and after inmates are released.

We are providing some information below to educate you around Hepatitis and its many forms. Nothing shared here is considered to be a diagnosis, a treatment or a cure. The information here, although we have done everything we can to ensure it’s validity, has been collected from many sources - including medical journals and Internet sites dealing with the issue of Hepatitis C. We are not guaranteeing the validity of the information within. If you suspect that you have Hepatitis C or any of the Hepatitis viruses, please seek medical advice.

Hepatitis - What is it? What you should know about it.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that often begins with flu-like symptoms that can cause both fatigue and fever. Stomach upset along with loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting are common. Soreness under the right rib cage can also indicate liver problems. Jaundice – or yellowing of the skin and eyes – is not always present at the beginning, but when it is it often indicates a problem with the liver.

Hepatitis has many viral strains, and although we will discuss briefly Hepatitis A and B, we will concentrate on Hepatitis C. The virus causing Hepatitis is highly contagious in all its forms.

HEPATITIS A

Hepatitis A, also known as infectious Hepatitis, is easily spread through person-to-person contact and through contact with food, clothing, bed linen, and other objects. Hepatitis A is contagious for between two and three weeks before, and one week after jaundice appears. Hepatitis A will make you feel extremely sick but is short lived – 6 to 8 weeks. While you are sick you are extremely contagious. If you have been unfortunate enough to have Hepatitis A in the past there is an up side – you are now immune for life. You can be vaccinated for Hepatitis A.

HEPATITIS B

Hepatitis B, also referred to as serum hepatitis, is spread through contact with infected blood – contaminated syringes, needles, razors, blood and some forms of sexual activity. A great deal of hepatitis B infections will come and go unrecognized. 85% to 90% of people will manage to clear it out of their system. About 10% of hepatitis B cases become chronic and this will cause scaring of the liver, an increased chance of liver cancer and can lead to death. You can be vaccinated for Hepatitis B.

HEPATITIS C:

This particular strain of Hepatitis is EPIDEMIC right now. There is no vaccine, and no cure. But there is much hopeful research going on, and new drugs almost ready to be allowed onto the market. None of them "cure" Hepatitis C, but many people CAN go "into remission" with these drugs. A high percentage of people with Hepatitis C will develop – usually over a long period of time – severe symptoms and liver damage. This is certainly the worst of the three strains of Hepatitis that we are discussing here. Hepatitis is a blood-borne virus and it requires blood to blood transfer to become infected. It is not transmissible through casual contact. Your main concern here is to be aware of how someone else’s blood can come in contact with your own.

Here are some of the means of transmitting Hepatitis C that you should be aware of:



·Shared razors for shaving.
·Tattoo equipment (including ink used communally which can contain drops of blood from an infected person)
·Sharing needles and injection drug equipment.
·Sharing snorting equipment (straws, rolled up bills)
·Body piercing equipment
·Shared toothbrushes (gums bleed!)

·Nail clippers (cuticles bleed)
·Blood transfusions
·Blood products, such as plasma, or Factor 8 for hemophilia
·Hemodialysis (kidney dialysis machines)
·Accidental needle sticks (for health care workers)
·Un-sterilized medical equipment
·Un-sterilized dental equipment


The Hepatitis C virus lives a long time outside the body - up to several months, even in dried blood. Wiping blood off of a razor does NOT get rid of it. Boiling items such as a toothbrush, or a "works", does NOT kill it. Bleach does not kill it! Only HIGH TEMPERATURES, such as autoclaving can kill the virus. The spread of Hepatitis C through sex is thought to be about a 4% chance, but sex with an exchange of blood, such as during a woman’s menstrual period, or during rough sex greatly increases the risk. Hepatitis C is NOT spread through tears, saliva, kissing, coughing, sneezing, hugging, sharing eating utensils, or drinking glasses etc. But you must always think of blood transfers. If you have Hepatitis C, you are contagious, whether you have symptoms or not! One of the alarming things with Hepatitis C is that most people do not exhibit symptoms outwardly. The incubation period for Hepatitis C is 14 to 168 days – that is up to 5.5 months.

15% of those infected with Hepatitis C will clear it from their system without any treatment. 85% of those infected will go on to develop chronic Hepatitis C. Many will only develop symptoms 10 years or more after they were infected. Those that do show early signs will probably develop a flu-like sickness within 6 months of being infected. Infected persons may also develop jaundice – yellowing of the skin and the whites of your eyes. Even without symptoms you are still highly contagious.

Symptoms of Chronic Hepatitis C include:


·Fatigue
·Jaundice
·Nausea
·Mental confusion
·Muscle pain
·Joint pain
·Skin irritation and itching
·Hair loss
·Weight loss
·Water retention
·Unresponsiveness
·Trouble sleeping
·Trouble concentrating
·Loss of memory

Recommendations for people that are infected with Hepatitis:

Understand that your liver (the organ that is most affected by hepatitis) is responsible for cleaning all toxins out of your body and blood stream. Anything that you consume may contain ‘toxins’ that will put undue stress on your liver. If you have hepatitis (in any form) you can reduce the strain on your liver by eliminating and/or avoiding many foods, beverages and drugs. We realize that while in prison, you will have limitations as to what you can and cannot avoid, but please do your best.

Avoid

·Any drug not prescribed by your doctor – including acetaminophen (Tylenol) and other headache tablets.
·Sugar – avoid soda, sweetened fruit juices, Kool-Aid, candy, chocolate.
·Any foods that are packaged and chemical/preservative ridden – junk food.
·Stop smoking, do not drink alcohol, or do any kind of illicit drug.
·Reduce or avoid meat products – meat promotes the production of ammonia, which the liver must clear. You do need a protein source; so do not completely remove this from your diet if you do not have an alternative.

Implement or Increase

·Drink 8 – 10 glasses of water a day
·Eat as much whole food as possible – that which is prepared from whole – not processed - ingredients
·Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables
·Choose brown or whole wheat breads over white

Excellet Teb - I think you covered EVERYTHING! ;)

Bless Your Heart Teb, Thanks so much :)