Which hepatitis is sexually transmitted?
Viral hepatitis B and C are serious liver diseases that can be transmitted from one person to another through sexual relations. About 450 million people in the world have hepatitis B and about 200 million people have hepatitis C! Meanwhile, a group of these people do not know about their disease at all and easily transmit it to others. In some cases, this disease can even lead to liver cancer! So how can you prevent it?
Attack on the body purification device!
Hepatitis affects the liver. The liver tissue is located in the outer right corner of the abdomen, and the presence of inflammation in it prevents the normal functioning of the liver. The liver is known as the body’s purification system in its natural state. In fact, all the toxins are purified there and are excreted after the kidneys. Proteins and sugars are also metabolized in the liver and even coagulation factors are made in the liver. When this organ has a problem, it is natural that any of these functions are disturbed and the body mismanages the liver.
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. This inflammation can be caused by some non-infectious diseases, including internal diseases, some rheumatic diseases, increased level of toxins in the body, etc. Even those who consume too much alcohol or drugs can develop liver inflammation. However, hepatitis mostly refers to hepatitis caused by infectious diseases. Viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites can affect the liver. Sometimes, the liver fails during general infectious diseases such as measles, rubella, chicken pox, etc. However, what is commonly known as hepatitis are mostly viral hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, etc., which are more important than other viruses.
Which hepatitis is sexually transmitted?
Transmission of hepatitis usually takes place in 2 main ways. Some of these viruses, such as hepatitis A and E, are transmitted through contaminated water and food. It means that a person is infected by living in an unsanitary environment, eating contaminated food and water, or coming into contact with a person suffering from this disease. Another group of hepatitis is transmitted through blood and its products and sexual intercourse. The leaders of these viruses are hepatitis B and C. One of the methods of their transmission is to smear the irritated skin of the body with blood infected with this virus. It is normal that this type of transmission can occur in the hospital for medical staff or from a woman to a husband or vice versa or from a mother to a fetus. The use of unsanitary methods in hairdressing salons, ear piercing, skin tattooing, non-standard cupping and the use of reusable syringes can also put a person at risk of this disease.
Do not forget hepatitis B vaccine!
Currently, around 450 million people in the world have hepatitis B and less than 180 to 200 million people have hepatitis C. The bad thing about these viruses is that they can become chronic and affect the person until the end of his life. Fortunately, hepatitis B has a vaccine, and its injection is currently being given to children all over the world and in our country, so we can gradually expect that this virus will no longer be seen in the next generations, but hepatitis C does not have a vaccine. Hepatitis B is one of the most important viruses in the country. This virus was transmitted from pregnant mothers to babies several decades ago, and this caused the virus to persist in the society. At one time, in some parts of the country, about 10% of people were infected with it, but today it is rare to find a place where there are close to 1% of infected people, so the disease is retreating and being eradicated.
No one gets hepatitis A twice!
Viruses that are transmitted through food and water, such as hepatitis A and E, have a latent period of 2 to 8 weeks. After entering the body, this virus finds its place in the liver, and the disease usually manifests itself in an acute form. It means that the person experiences lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea, yellowing of the eyes and abdominal pain. These symptoms last for about 1 to 2 weeks and up to 4 weeks. After this, the person will survive and the disease will leave the body forever. It means that a person does not get infected with hepatitis A and E for the second time.
A virus that can lead to liver cancer!
Hepatitis B and C viruses can sometimes remain asymptomatic and the disease goes undiagnosed, so a person may progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. Sometimes it is even necessary to perform a liver transplant and the person may no longer be able to have his normal quality of life.
The hepatitis B virus is usually replaced deep in the liver cells and can cause changes in the liver that can even lead to liver cancer. It can even open the way for the hepatitis D virus, which is a more dangerous type, to increase the person’s problems, so fighting these viruses is very important in all societies.
You may think you just have a cold!
The incubation period of hepatitis B and C viruses transmitted sexually or through blood is longer. It means that after contact with the virus, it takes about 2 to 6 months for symptoms to appear. Depending on the person’s condition, the disease may be very mild and the person thinks he has a cold, but after a week or two, the disease becomes chronic and the virus remains in the body. After this, the virus may reactivate in the body months, years, or even decades later and cause acute hepatitis symptoms. But those who get hepatitis through their mothers during pregnancy, usually because their body is weak in childhood and is not able to distinguish internal proteins from non-internal ones, it considers the virus as internal and does not show any defense against it, so usually the virus stays in the body for the rest of its life. The body remains. That means the virus does its job and the body finds its job and a kind of peaceful life together!
When a person gets hepatitis B in adulthood, there is a 90% possibility of showing the same symptoms as hepatitis A, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and possibly yellowing of the eyes. After a period of 2 to 3 months, the disease may subside completely or become chronic. Actually, when the virus remains in the blood for more than 6 months, we say that hepatitis has become chronic. These people cause the most health problems and cause the virus to persist in the society through sexual relations, mother to fetus or blood transfusion. That is, they may not have any clinical symptoms and their livers are not very affected, but they may be carriers of the virus.
This virus remains in the body until the end of life
There are special conditions for the treatment of type B virus patients. When the virus and the patient’s body live peacefully with each other and the virus is replaced deep in the liver cells, it is not really possible for the drug to reach there and there is no need for treatment. Treatments are also not successful in this regard. In these cases, we can reduce the number of viruses in the body by up to 50%, but if the virus reaches an attack state, its number increases in the body and we see the effects of destruction and liver failure, we can make the virus retreat using effective drugs. Being able to completely remove the virus from the body is actually a dream slogan and an ideal of medicine. We can reduce the number of viruses to such a level that they cannot cause more problems for the liver. The same is true for hepatitis C. Treatment may take years. In fact, this issue depends on the underlying conditions of the patient, the body’s response to the drug and the level of resistance of the virus. These people should see a doctor at least once every 3 months to be evaluated and to determine whether the disease is on the line of improvement or progressing.
The relationship between hand washing and hepatitis
To prevent these diseases, we must wash our hands with soap and water before eating and do not use unsafe food and water. We should also avoid sexual promiscuity and use contraceptives. In addition, we must have injected all the vaccines, including the hepatitis B vaccine, and of course, do not use dangerous tools such as razors, syringes, etc., and always make sure that they are hygienic.