Hepatitis A B C 101

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Hepatitis A B C 101
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HEPATITIS
HEPA\TITIS
LIVER
INFLAMATION
Inflamed Liver
Healthy Liver
(Cirrhosis)
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HEPATITIS A
Hep A is transmitted through fecal-oral
contamination.
Many people infected with Hep A suffer flu-like
symptoms including weakness, headaches and fever.
These symptoms last for several weeks and
hospitalization may be required.
Hep A will eventually run its course, and once
youve had the virus, you develop a lifelong
immunity to it.
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HEPATITIS B
HBV is transmitted through blood-to-blood and
blood-to-body fluid contact.
Many people infected with HBV never feel sick and
recover completely
Others get a brief, acute illness with fatigue,
loss of appetite and jaundice.
Less then 10 of infected adults will develop
chronic HBV
Anyone chronically infected with HBV is
considered a carrier of the virus.
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HEPATITIS C
HCV lives in the blood of an infected person and
is transmitted through direct blood-to-blood
contact
HCV remains a serious health issue infecting
approximately 300,000 Canadians
Approximately 5000 more Canadians are infected
each year - mostly youth
HCV is 10 to 15 times more infectious than HIV
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HEPATITIS C
Virus no longer detected in 15
Minor damage to liver
Acute HCV
Initial HCV Infection
Chronic HCV 85
Liver failure
Cirrhosis
Liver cancer
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HEPATITIS C
Sharing injection equipment accounts for 70 of
all HCV infections
HCV can also be transmitted through sharing pipes
or straws used to smoke or snort drugs.
Additional risk behaviors include sharing
personal hygiene items, getting a tattoo or body
piercing, sexual intercourse and mother to baby.
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HEPATITIS C
TREATMENT
Interferon and Ribavirin Reduce viral load
rendering it undetectable
There is no cure and no vaccine for HCV
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TESTING
If you think you may have been exposed to HIV or
Hepatitis C GET TESTED!
Anonymous HIV and Non-Nominal HBV and HCV
testing. 150 Bentinck Street, Sydney, NS Lower
Level
1- [phone] Local
[phone]