CLINICAL DISCOURSE ON THE WIDE SPREAD OF THE HEPATITIS VIRUS

The discovery of AIDS in the early 20th century brought other sexual and blood borne diseases into the limelight among which is hepatitis.

Hepatitis has been in existence before the discovery of THE ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) in 1981 but not much attention is given to it thereby making spread increasing by the day and affecting the socio-economic development of most nations. Death as a result of hepatitis has been attributed to witchcraft in most African countries because most infected persons don’t know if they were infected.
This has become an issue of health concern. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention estimated over four hundred (400) people globally suffering from chronic hepatitis.
Unlike HIV which is a sexually and blood borne disease, Hepatitis is on the side a sexually, blood and borne disease that is why it is most prevalent in areas with poor sanitary condition and co-infected in persons living with HIV/AIDS. #(PLWHA).
HEPATITIS
The word Hepatitis is of Greek origin with #Hepa meaning liver and the suffix #Titis meaning irritation, inflammation or injury. Hepatitis in a nutshell is an irritation of the liver which may lead to inflammation and damage to the liver cells.
This irritation hampers the functions of the liver thereby resulting to other complications like liver cancer, liver cirrhosis etc.

LIVER
This is the largest glandular organ in the body situated below the diaphragm embedded with vital responsibilities etc.
FUNCTIONS OF THE LIVER
Production of bile which aid food digestion.
Regulation of hormonal imbalance.
Neutralization of toxins in the body.
Storage of vital nutrients like glycogen and amino acids.
Drug metabolism.
It is a power house of the body.
The liver stores sugar, fats and vitamins and releases as required by any part of the body.
The liver forms cholesterol; if the liver is infected, these functions will be compromised.

CAUSES OF HEPATITIS
Organisms such as bacteria and virus.
Chemicals, alcohol, concoction and abuse of drugs can liver sick.
Auto-immune diseases (this is when the body immune system goes awry and attacks the body itself).
CLINICAL SYMPTOMS
Anorexia.
Nausea.
Flu like symptoms.
General fatigue.
Abdominal ache (upper quadrant).
Clay coloured stool.
Dark coloured urine.
Jaundice.
Itching skin.
Muscular aches and joint pains.
Weight loss.
FORMS OF HEPATITIS
There are two forms of hepatitis. The infectious and the non-infectious hepatitis. The infectious hepatitis can be passed from one person to another while the non-infectious cannot. NON-INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS
Non infectious hepatitis cannot be transmitted from one person to another. This type of damage to the liver are mostly self induced i.e, they are caused by the individual either knowingly or not. Non infectious hepatitis are caused by the effects of the following on the liver.
Drugs like paracetamol.
Alcohol like ethanol mostly found in alcoholic beverages.
Auto-immune this is an internal activity that injures the liver.

        ***INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS***

This type of hepatitis can be transmitted from one person to another, making it a major health concern. It can be transmitted when the casual agent which is a virus is passed on to another person. The group of virus responsible for this disease are called hepatitis virus and are named individually as:

Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
Hepatitis D virus (HDV)
Hepatitis E virus (HEV)
The above viruses are different from one another, the only relationship between them is they all injure the liver and obstruct it functions.