Hepatitis D

Question: why do a person has to be infected with Hepatitis B to get Hepatitis D? I mean what is the relation between this co-infection, and what is teh mechanism in which this co-infection occurs

Answer: Hepatitis D is a "defective" virus, in that it lacks a particular protein necessary for the virus to successfully replicate and package itself inside host cells. In order for the virus to replicate and grow, it has to "borrow" a protein from the Hepatitis B virus. It is blood borne, like HepB. If a person is immunized against Hepatitis B, then they are automatically protected against the Hep D virus (since they cannot be infected by Hep B, Hep D cannot survive and spread inside the host).

Question: What is the difference between hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepaptitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E? please help :)

Answer: Alex J, Hepatitis A: A virus most often spread by unclean food and water. Hepatitis B: A virus commonly spread by sexual intercourse or blood transfusion, or from mother to newborn at birth. Another way it spreads is by using a needle that was used by an infected person. Hepatitis B is more common and much more easily spread than the AIDS virus and may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis C: A virus spread by blood transfusion and possibly by sexual intercourse or sharing needles with infected people. Hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis C used to be called non-A, non-B hepatitis. Hepatitis D (Delta): A virus that occurs mostly in people who take illegal drugs by using needles. Only people who have hepatitis B can get hepatitis D. Hepatitis E: A virus spread mostly through unclean water. This type of hepatitis is common in developing countries. It has not occurred in the United States. I add a link containing details of the different types of hepatitis http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Hepatitis Hope this helps matador 89

Question: Is Hepatitis D the same as Strep D? How is Strep D controled in a newborn?

Answer: No. Hepatitis is a virus, and Strep is a bacteria. Since you're discussing a newborn, I would be more inclined to think that you're asking about Group B Strep, not D. But I'll give you information about both just in case. Hepatitis D is a form of the Hepatitis virus. It is spread through exposure to infected blood or body fluids. However, this virus is only pathogenic to those who have already contracted the Hepatitis B virus. Group D Strep is a bacteria that belongs to the same family of Streptococci that causes "strep throat", although it is not the cause of it. Group D Strep is broken down into two subclasses -- one usually does not cause disease except in those with compromised immune systems, the other (referred to as Enterococcus) are often associated with human infections. Enterococcus can cause urinary tract infections and wound infections, and can also infect the heart and bloodstream if left untreated. Group D Strep can be treated with several kinds of antibiotics; the naturally occurring Group D can be treated with penicillin, Enterococcus can usually be treated with stronger drugs like gentamycin or vancomycin -- whether the infection is in an adult or a newborn. Now, this is what I think you're really talking about ... Group B Strep. About 25% of all women carry this bacteria as normal flora in their vagina. During delivery, Group B Strep can passed to the infant -- and it can cause a wide range of infections for the newborn, such as meningitis, sepsis (infection of the bloodstream and all organs), and lung infections. Doctors usually check for the presence of Group B Strep in a pregnant women so that the baby can be treated with an penicillin antibiotic to prevent or control infection. The mother also must be treated, because a traumatic birth could cause the bacteria to enter her bloodstream and cause her to develop sepsis as well. Since Group B Strep is so common, doctors are very aware of it and usually take measures to ensure that the problem is prevented or properly controlled. Hope this answers your question!

Question: Whats the difference between hepatitis a, b , c, d ,and e?

Answer: There are MANY differences. First off, they are not all from the same 'family', and some are not even technically viruses . The reason they have all been given the common name 'hepatitis x' is because each of these viruses/viroid prefer to live and replicate via liver cells. Just like Type I diabetes and Tye II diabetes are two completely different diseases, yet they have the same long term complications, so the common name diabetes is used. For more detailed info check out the following: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_virus#Viral hope this helps

Question: What are the symptoms of Hepatitis A, B, C, and D? What are the symptoms? Are any of them curable?

Answer: Here's links to the Mayo Clinic with information on Hepatitis. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-a/DS00397 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-b/DS00398 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-c/DS00097

Question: can someone infected with Hepatitis (B, C, D) be a health care worker (doctor, pharmacist)? I have a friend who is interested in the medical field but he is infected with hepatitis since birth. The infections is benign and it does not cause any symptoms. He is unsure whether he can work in the medical field fearing contaminating others. If he can work in the medical field, is there any restrictions?

Answer: Hi, Yes health care workers can have Hep B,C,D. It is transmitted through blood and body fluids. As a health care worker they would not be exchanging body fluids hopefully. Restictions depends on the employer. Do you think he would legally have to reveal he has Hep.... , I am not sure on that one. Tell your friend to go for his DREAM!! Encourage him and support him to obtain his desire. Jane

Question: why hepatitis d virus is called as hepatitis delta virus? if u dont answer then ill kill u.im serious!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer: delta is the greek version of D so saying hepatitis d virus is the same as saying hepatitis delta virus. This virus is special though as infection can only occur if the patient is already infected with hepatitis B. Hep d has an incomplete dna sequence and therefore needs to hijack some of the dna of hep b. the dna codes for proteins and such and hep d needs hep b in order to live*. * however viruses are not strictly alive, but thats another issue...

Question: what's hepatitis and wat re d effects? hepatitis asin d disease. i want to knw hw its contractd. hw dangerous is it?

Answer: Hepatitis is an infection of the liver, usually contracted through sexual contact, sharing of needles, alcohol abuse. The infection scars the liver and can, in extreme circumstances be fatal but the usual prognosis is general fatigue (flu like symptoms). There are a number of strains of Hepatitis, some have no long term affects and can be easily treated, others are more serious but can be managed/cured quite easily. The 1 strain of Hepatitis that can not presently be cured is Hepatitis C - this may lead to serious problems some 15-20 years after contracting it and often goes undiagnosed until such time as one starts to become quite ill. If you are concerned you may have contracted a type of Hepatitis, ask your doctor for a screening and remember, most forms are easily treated. Best of luck.

Question: I have had hepatitis. How do I find out what type (A,B,C,D) I had? Is there a hepatitis registry?

Answer: well, it would not be hepatitis a because that is a disease that runs it's course and then your done (unless you get food poisoning again). hepatitis b-you can be chronic or a carrier hepatitis c- is usually just chronic. about 15% of those that have hepatitis c built up antibodies and is just a carrier (non active)-however, i don't particulary believe in "just carrying" the hepatitis c as it runs its see-saw course as a natural conciquence. hepatitis d you will not have unless you are infected with hepatitis b. hepatitis e and d are rare in the united states. people don't understand a lot about hepatitis. you are usually only yellow (bilirium and toxic waste build up) when the disease is acute (fast acting). hepatitis c can take years and even decades before you notice really serious side effects. hcv was thought of as a symptomatic, however, the more research being done indicates that many have bi-directional diseases associated with having hcv and liver damage does not have to be more pronounced to have bi-directional diseases. doctors only run standard blood labs and if your alt and ast levels appear normal (many with active hcv have this occurance) means you are not sick. the only way to find out about hepatitis b or c is to be tested for antibodies, even if you have no known risk factors (especially for hepatitis c). make an appointment with your gastro and go from there. the sooner the better. chances are you will need antiviral chemotherapy if you have b or c. if you are a veteran, your risk for c is much much higher due to mass innoculations, however, you can acquire hcv just seeing dentists before 1994. ( i say 1995 just to be sure). there are many other ways of contracting hcv, but it only happens when there is blood to blood transmission. hcv is not a "true std". hcv corpuscles are not the active forms of hcv (this is found in semen and vaginal fluid.) you could also have a form of hepatitis not relative to viral infections, this type is caused by hereditary factors. NASH and auto-immune hepatitis as well as a few others. the only way to tell is to ask your doctor. he will know how to run the correct testing. good luck.

Question: What are the chances of getting Hepatitis A,B.C.D from drinking from some one beer in a bar who have it? Is it very low or high?

Answer: Actually C is transmittable via drinking glass (because of small cuts or tears in your/the other person's mouth) but there is a very low chance that you will contract it. There are immunizations for A & B. There's a great article on Hepatitis on www.wikipedia.com and I think it goes over every type of Hep. You should check it out and don't get scared, you probably have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of having contracted hep. from a person at a bar you just drank after.

Question: Can Herbal treatments by a naturopathic dr help with Hepatitis d? My girlfriend may start taking interferon treatments and I was wondering if herbal treatments would interfere with the interferon treatments the person i would be getting the herbs from is a naturopathic doctor, with a degree in such

Answer: First off, your girlfriend should ask the doctor that prescribed the interferons. They know what they're talking about, and probably see lots of people with liver problems, and will be able to give a sensible answer. The doctor will have been trained in pharmacology, and will know all about how drugs interact with each other in the body. On the other hand, the herb-seller (they are not doctors) won't have had the same training. The herbs they sell won't have had to pass the same strict regulations that medicinal drugs do, and so their effects on the body (and especially the liver, something to think about in an individual with hepatitis!) may not be fully known. I'd say avoid the herbs altogether.

Question: What does the letters A, B,C, D types mean in the Hepatitis desease?

Answer: Hepatitis is a virus that comes in many forms the letters A through G are used to denote which type of the virus is present. There are many types of hepatitis that do not have a letter designation. You can find out more about hepatitis here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis

Question: can vaccination for Hepatitis B covers Hepatitis D too?

Answer: Indirectly it does. It causes you to make antibodies to Hepatitis B only, so that you will not contract this virus, but in doing so it protects you against Hep D since Hep D needs Hep B in order to reproduce and survive. You cannot have Hep D by itself.

Question: What are the following hepatitis(s),causes, symptoms & mode of transmission? Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatitis D Hepatitis E

Answer: Some viruses that can cause hepatitis, such as Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus, can cause other illnesse as well. In addition, there are at least seven viruses that exclusively infect the liver. They are identified as hepatitisA,B,C,D,E,F,andG. The most common form of viral hepatitis, hepatitis A, is almost always a short-term, self-limiting illness. It is spread by person-to-person contact, or by contaminated food or water. Before symptons arise, the infection can be halted with gamma-globulin injections. Hepatitis B is a much more serious infection. Formerly known as serum hepatitis, it is spread by blood-to-blood contact or sexual contact with an infected person. Infected mothers can pass the virus to their babies during birth. In some parts of the world, hepatitis B is also spread by food and water contamination because of poor sanitation. While the virus sometimes persists for many years, most people recover within a year, compared with a usual recovery of six weeks for hepatitis A. Hepatitis B can cause cirrhosis and an increased susceptibility to liver cancer. Fortunately, there is a highly successful vaccination for hepatitis B. Hepatitis C (formerly called non-A, non-B hepatitis) is carried by nearly 5 million people in the United States alone. It is usally spread through transfusions or shared needles. Hepatitis C is a potentially deadly infection that is extremely difficult to detect because repeated blood tests may be necessary to identify the disease. It has many of the same long-term consequences as hepatitis B. About 20 percent of all cases of hepatitis are caused by four other viruses, hepatitis D, E, F, and G. Hepatitis D (formerly called delta hepatitis) and E (formerly called enteric hepatitis) are seldom encountered in North America, but are often epidemic in other parts of the world. "The hepatitis D virus only multiplies in the presence of the B virus, and makes hepatitis B symptons worse. Hepatitis E is sometimes epidemis in tropical areas after widespread flooding. It produces symptoms similar to hepatitis A, except that it is much more dangerous to pregnant women. Hepatitis F is an extremely rare strain of the virus that is transmitted from primates to humans. Hepatitis G is a relatively common infection, accounting for as many as 9 percent of all hepatitis infections. A mild form of the disease, hepatitis G does not seem to cause ongoing liver damage. Is this enough information for you?

Question: a person is suffering from hepatitis B and D and also chronic hepatitis c now is he or she is prone to? a patients is suffering from hepatitis B and D and also chronic hepatitis c ;now he is fearing that is he prone to other types of hepatitis; like hepatitia A and other types??/

Answer: The homeopathic remedies SULFUR 200, BRYONIA 200 CARDUSS MARIANUS Q(mother tincture) and CHELIDONIUM MAJUS Q(mother tincture) SULFUR and BRYONIA once daily first thing in the morning and CARDUSS MARIANUS and CHELIDONIUM 20 drops each in half a cup of warm water thrice a day half hour before or after meals will get rid of all kinds of Hepatitis (A,B,C,D) 100%, follow them up with one dose of LYCOPODIUM 1M once a week. This prescription is the result of 20 years of experience in treating and curing patients using Homeopathic Medicine. Take care and God Bless !

Question: I think i have hepatitis D? i think i picked it up when i ate a 4 month old expired sandwich?

Answer: ok i dont know if i should laugh or not... why on earth would you eat a 4 month old sandwich... get that checked out.