The City of Columbia is committed to providing public health services that prevent epidemics and the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, promote healthy behaviors, prevent injuries and illness, assure the quality and accessibility of health services, monitor the health of the population, provide social services and promote and protect civil rights.
Viral Hepatitis Information
Viral Hepatitis can be difficult to understand because of the variety of problems and diseases of the liver which are referred to, collectively, as "Hepatitis." If someone's liver has been damaged by medical treatment such as chemotherapy, overuse of some over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen, or by drinking alcohol to excess, they may be said to have "hepatitis." The damage to health from these kinds of hepatitis can be severe, and sometimes fatal. These illnesses cannot be spread to another person (they are not infectious), but they can have symptoms similar to those shared by persons with viral hepatitis. Only viral Hepatitis can spread from one person to another by a variety of means.
There are five types of Hepatitis, but only three predominate in the Untied States:
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C
If you have been diagnosed with Hepatitis, your health provider will have informed you as to which type of Hepatitis it is and whether you remain infectious or not. There are important differences between the types of Viral Hepatitis. In all cases, the liver has been put under stress and should not be put in further danger by drinking alcoholic beverages or taking acetaminophen products (such as Tylenol ).
What is Hepatitis A?
transmitted in the fecal-oral manner
one of the reasons that good hand washing by restaurant workers and those handling food is so important
quite common in other countries
there are frequent outbreaks in the U. S.
there is a vaccine available
vaccination is highly recommended for those traveling to less "developed" parts of the world
transmitted from person to person through shared blood
the majority of cases are caused by injecting drug use (IVDU)
those with hemophilia, or transfusion recipients are at increased risk due to tainted blood supplies in past decades
Vietnam era veterans are at increased risk due to infection spread by pneumatic jet injectors used until 1978 for vaccine administration to recruits
85% of those infected with Hepatitis C become chronic carriers of the virus, and are at risk for liver cancer and other problems if the condition is left untreated
the risk to sexual partners does not seem to be nearly so great as it is with Hepatitis B
there is no vaccine for this virus
the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services offers Hepatitis C testing
applied use of "universal precautions" when handling
blood or body fluid contaminated items
Hepatitis B is vaccine preventable
Hepatitis A may be prevented by:
practicing good handwashing when preparing food, after using the restroom, and after changing a child's diaper
The chance of sexual transmission
of Hepatitis A via sexual practices in which exposure
to fecal contamination can occur, is reduced through
the use of latex barriers.
Hepatitis A is vaccine preventable
What vaccinations do I need?
Hepatitis A - two doses of vaccine,
at least 6 months apart
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