Methods of prophylaxis of hepatitis - general and specific measures
Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver tissue with a violation of its functions. Treatment of ailment can be successful if it is timely. But it often happens that hepatitis is diagnosed late and leads to irreversible complications, sometimes incompatible with life. Therefore, a very important moment for health is its prevention.
General measures for the prevention of hepatitis
It is known that viral hepatitis affects the liver more often than other causes, and also causes severe consequences. In addition, there are viruses that are asymptomatic, creating all the conditions for the chronization of the process.
For each species there are special features of prevention, but there are general rules, compliance with which will help to avoid the disease:
- Hepatitis prevention requires strict adherence to personal hygiene rules. This measure provides for not only washing hands, but also the use of individual household items( toothbrush, razor, manicure scissors).
- Observe hygiene measures before eating food and water. If there is such an opportunity, it is better to subject the products to heat treatment. If this is not possible, you need to wash vegetables and fruits, and do not use water without boiling. This is an extremely necessary precautionary measure of acute hepatitis A, which is transmitted by oral-fecal route from a sick person.
- Avoid contact with all body fluids, especially blood. Since the virus B and C is transmitted only by the hematogenous route, this measure is necessary as prevention of hepatitis B and C.
- Do not do piercing or tattooing with unprocessed instruments. The fact is that the hepatitis B virus is characterized by high survivability( several weeks) and for the infection of a healthy person the necessary amount of viruses is contained in 0.001 ml of blood.
- Do not use a single syringe for the introduction of drugs, even if the needles change. The reason is the same( a small amount of blood for infection).This is the so-called prophylaxis of parenteral forms.
- Avoid accidental sexual intercourse, and with frequent partner changes use a condom. This becomes especially relevant for the prevention of hepatitis B and C.
Specific prevention measures
Such measures are necessary for each individual case. There is infection "vertical" - from the mother to the child, and the best prevention is the complete sanation of the mother before pregnancy. If the disease has occurred during pregnancy, it is necessary to comply with all measures of early treatment of the child.
Of particular importance is the prevention of chronic hepatitis, since it can occur as a consequence of an untreated or in time not detected hepatitis. For this, it is necessary to adhere to the regime of treatment, nutrition, monitoring of biochemical analyzes with an acute form. This will help control the course of the acute form of the disease. With the correct mode of treatment and nutrition, the process may not be chronic.
Prevention of toxic hepatitis( or drug) is a thorough selection of medications for the treatment of diseases. The best measure at the same time is not to engage in self-medication, but to coordinate all appointments with a doctor. Especially it concerns the treatment of drug addicts and alcoholics, in whom toxic hepatitis can be on the background of alcohol. The drugs used in the treatment are also toxic, and may cause an exacerbation of toxic hepatitis.
Specific prophylaxis of hepatitis B or vaccination is widely used to prevent the possibility of viral infection, which has virtually no contraindications and no side effects on the body. The vaccine is administered according to the scheme to the newborn from the first birthday, as well as to adults and older children according to a special scheme. Vaccine for the prevention of hepatitis Intakes according to indications even for pregnant and lactating women.
There are times when contact with an infected person occurs, but people will find out about it after the contact. This is mainly medical workers, who most often encounter the blood of sick people.
In this case, an emergency warning of hepatitis C is needed - for this, all people in contact are administered according to the Alfa-Interferon and Ribaverin Medun scheme. The duration of such an emergency prophylaxis of hepatitis C is 1 a month.100% guarantee while not, but still a high degree of security.
Currently, an emergency measure for the prevention of hepatitis B has been developed. In this case, a person who was in contact enters simultaneously a specific immunoglobulin and a vaccine. It is desirable that these measures be taken within 2 weeks after contact and possible infection.
The method of emergency prophylaxis will depend on the path of possible infection of a person:
- If infection occurs sexually, then a person is administered a vaccine against hepatitis B and specific immunoglobulin for the purpose of prevention. The vaccine begins to work in 2 weeks, but until that time, from the first day of prevention, a specific immunoglobulin begins to work.
- In household contact, it is necessary to determine whether the affected person is the carrier of HBsAG antigen. In the event that it is not found, vaccination is started according to the standard scheme, that is, to do a 3-fold administration of the vaccine( 0, 3 and 6 months).If a person is a carrier of HBsAG-antigen, then both the vaccine and the immunoglobulin are administered simultaneously.
There are cases where the injured person has recently started a routine vaccination. In this case, do a single vaccine, and then continue to do it according to the scheme.