Definition:
Hepatitis is the inflammation of the hepatic cells (Kuffer’s cells)
Etiology:
- Viral (Often)
- Bacteria or toxic (due to injury)
Types of the Hepatitis
- Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.
Clinical features:
- Anorexia
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Elevated ALT & AST level
- Hepatomegaly
- Tenderness
- Dark urine
- Elevated serum bilirubin level
- Clay color stool
- Malaise
- Discomfort
- Fever
- Urticaria
- Hepatomegaly
Incubation periods:
© HAV is a RNA virus 15-25 days
© HBV is a DNA virus 18-45 days
© HCV is a RNA virus 15-160 days
- HDV (Delta Virus) is a RNA 02-25 days
- HEV is a RNA virus
- HGV is a RNA virus
Complication:
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Death
Investigations:
- Liver function studies
- Hepatic serology
- HGs Ag
- Anti-HBs-IgH & Ig G
- Anti-HAV-Igh & Ig G
- Anti-HCV
- PCR
Medical management :
- HA vaccine/ HB vaccine (Prevention)
- HC, HD, HE, HF, HG, HH (Treatment) Inj: Interferon.
Transmission:
HAV
- Poor personal hygiene
- Poor sanitation
- Contaminated food, milk
- Sexual contact
- Feco-oral
HBV
- Blood transmission
- Semen transmission
- Saliva transmission
- Contaminated needles
- Infected partners
HCV
- Tattoo
- Organ transplantation
- Less frequent routes is sexual contact
HDV
- Blood transmission
- Semen transmission
- Saliva transmission
- Contaminated needles
- Infected partners
HEV
- Feco-oral route
- Most common is drinking water
HGV
- Blood donor
HCV
- Blood transmission
Nursing Diagnosis:
- Fatigue
- Activity intolerance
- Fluid volume deficit
- Infection
- Nutritional altered
- Pain
- Health maintenance
- Skin integrity
- Injury
Prevention Measures:
For Feco-oral transmission:
- Proper hand washing by patient & staff
- Wearing gloves when handling feces & urine
- Proper handling of contaminated utensils & linens For Percutaneous:
- Wearing gloves while handling blood & body fluids
- Proper disposable of needles & Body fluids
- Avoidance from open cuts
- Teaching patients to avoid sexual contact until result of liver function tests have returned to the normal.