HEPATITIS A, B AND C
(liver inflammation)
- Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can be caused by a virus
- Complaints that are consistent with Hepatitis are nausea, fatigue, a flu-like feeling and yellow skin or yellow eyes
- Hepatitis can be transmitted through food, sex and blood
- Hepatitis risk groups are men who have sex with men, people who have sex without a condom and people who inject drugs
- People with HIV are at higher risk of Hepatitis. In people with HIV, Hepatitis can cause a lot of damage
What is it?
Hepatitis A, B and C is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus.
Symptoms
Complaints that often occur with Hepatitis are nausea, fatigue, little appetite and a flu-like feeling. Your skin and eyes may also start looking more yellow. You can especially see this in the whites of your eyes.
Your stool can also change color. This is then no longer brown, but becomes a lighter, putty-like color. The urine becomes darker and browner in color.
Hepatitis can also occur without symptoms.
Your stool can also change color. This is then no longer brown, but becomes a lighter, putty-like color. The urine becomes darker and browner in color.
Hepatitis can also occur without symptoms.
This is especially dangerous, because you can pass the virus on to others without being aware.
The time between contracting the virus and the onset of symptoms differs between the different types ofHepatitis. Hepatitis A often develops symptoms within two weeks. With Hepatitis B and C, the onset of symptoms can take one to six months. Hepatitis A often requires no treatment. Hepatitis B and C, however, requires treatment with drugs.
The time between contracting the virus and the onset of symptoms differs between the different types ofHepatitis. Hepatitis A often develops symptoms within two weeks. With Hepatitis B and C, the onset of symptoms can take one to six months. Hepatitis A often requires no treatment. Hepatitis B and C, however, requires treatment with drugs.
Transmission
Hepatitis A
The virus is in the stool of a person with a Hepatitis A infection. You can contract this virus if the virus gets into your mouth. It can be transmitted by touching contaminated objects and then touching your mouth. The virus can be transmitted through the toilet seat, the tap or other objects, but also through contaminated water, contaminated food or eating utensils that have been touched with contaminated hands. You can also get Hepatitis if you touch your sexual partner's anus with your hands or mouth if your sexual partner has Hepatitis A.
Hepatitis B
This virus is in the blood and in the semen or vaginal fluid. It is transmitted through sex without a condom or through blood contact (for example, through contaminated needles during injections, drug use or tattoos in foreign tattoo parlors). It can also be passed from mother to child during childbirth. You can pass the Hepatitis B virus on to others before you have symptoms yourself.
Hepatitis C
This virus is mainly found in the blood. It is transmitted when contaminated blood enters your blood, for example through needles with contaminated blood, with tattoos in foreign tattoo parlors or through razor blades. The chance of getting Hepatitis C through sex is higher if both partners have wounds on the mucous membranes or if they already have another STI.
Risk group
Anyone can become infected with Hepatitis A. Risk groups for Hepatitis B and C are people with multiple bed partners who have unsafe sex, men who have sex with men, sex workers, visitors to sex workers, people from Hepatitis endemic areas and people who inject drugs.
If a condom is used during sex and if clean needles are used during drug use or tattooing, the virus cannot be transmitted.
Hiv and hepatitis
Like Hepatitis, HIV is transmitted through blood contact or through sex without a condom. As a result, you have a greater chance of contracting an HIV infection in addition to Hepatitis. When infected with Hepatitis, people with an HIV infection are less able to clear the infection from their body.
This increases the chance that the infection will become long-term (chronic). Hepatitis A can never become chronic. People who have both HIV and Hepatitis often experience a more severe infection of Hepatitis.
Hepatitis A, B and C are HIV indicator diseases.
HIV indicator conditions are conditions or symptoms that occur more often in people with an underlying HIV infection than in people without an HIV infection. Hepatitis is one of the HIV indicator conditions. If you have or have had Hepatitis and have not been tested for HIV, it is advisable to ask your doctor or general practitioner for an HIV test. Find it difficult to ask for an HIV test? You may download a call card that will help you formulate your question.