I guess that should be the five hepatitis viruses.
There are five hepatitis viruses - A through E. They all attack the liver, but vary in key areas such as transmission and prevention. Hepatitis A and E are found in the feces of infected persons, while hepatitis B, C, and D are bloodborne. Hepatitis A, B and D are vaccine preventable, while hepatitis C and E are not. The one we are focussed on is Hepatitis B Virus (hepB).
HepB is spread when the blood of an infected person enters the body of someone who is not infected. This means hepB is transmitted from mother to child, through the sharing of needles, and from unprotected sex. While carefully washing your hands is always a good idea and an effective prevention strategy for hepatitis A, it will not protect you from hepB. More on hepB virology in a later post.
HepB is vaccine preventable. The hepB vaccine is a series of three shots, and once vaccinated you are protected for life. The vaccine first became available in 1982, and has been widely used in the U.S. since the nineties. If you are unsure about whether or not you have been vaccinated ask your doctor to test you for the hepatitis B virus. That test will tell you if you are protected or not. If you are not protected, start the vaccine series immediately.
If you were born outside of the United States or to foreign-born parents it is very important that you get tested for hepB. Remember, one in ten Asians and Pacific Islanders are chronically infected with hepB. The reason for this is that hepB is endemic in these countries, meaning that the virus is widespread and infection rates are sustained. But it is not only Asia and the Pacific, also at risk are persons from eastern Europe, southern Africa, Alaska, and the Northern Territories. Here is a comprehensive list of countries.
There is a test, there is a vaccine, and there is treatment. Thanks for reading.
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