Measures of Preventing Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a viral disease that affects the liver and could cause serious damage to it and to the whole human organism if not treated well.
There exist hepatitis type A, B, C, D, E, non-A, and non-B, caused by A, B, C, D, E viruses.
Preventing hepatitis is better than treating it. There are some methods of prevention which you can easy apply: wash your hands every time before eating and after using the toilet; avoid unhealthy living places; when traveling to developing countries you should be very careful with what you are eating and drinking and make sure that the water you drink is not contaminated by sewage. When swimming in the pool, make sure there is good sanitation.
Teach your family members to keep a good hygiene, to practice safe sex or abstinence and to avoid needles.
Also, if one is contaminated wake sure you clean well with antiseptic cleansers the toilet.
There is a vaccine against hepatitis A and it is addressed to those who travel a lot, who work with infected persons, who change frequently their sex partners and to those who already have a liver disease.
There also exists a vaccine for Hepatitis B, but unfortunately there has not been discovered one for hepatitis C too.
The period of incubation for Hepatitis A virus lasts 2 to 6 weeks. Generally a patient who has developed this disease will recover well, without complications, and will not develop the chronic form of the disease. After recovering, the patient will not pass the virus to other persons too.
The period of incubation for Hepatitis B lasts 4 to 20 weeks, and also, 85% to 90%
Of the infected will recover well without any complications.10% to 15% can develop cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis.
For Hepatitis C the period of incubation is 2 to 26 weeks, and 75% to 85% do not recover well and develop chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, even liver cancer. They can also spread the virus to other healthy persons.
Treating hepatitis A with drugs is not necessary because the disease goes away on its own.
There are some drugs useful in treating hepatitis B and C but some are not recommended to the children.
Generally, the treatment is done in hospital, but if you only have a mild form of the disease you can stay at home. Children especially, should eat smaller, more frequent meals and liquids that are rich in calories and proteins. Call the doctor if you see any of these following symptoms referring to a worsening of the liver condition: skin rash, confusion, and itching, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
The Pros and Cons of Vaccines for Dogs
Vaccines introduce viruses into the immune system of our dogs each time they are injected. The purpose of injecting a virus into your dogs system is to expose the system to the virus but avoid the illness that accompanies the virus when introduced naturally.
Both live and dead viruses are used in vaccines for dogs, with live viruses offering a more naturally similar character to the actual disease. Live vaccines seem to provide more protection against contracting the dreaded disease but some veterinarians say that dead viruses are preferable to preclude contraction of the disease as a result of the vaccination.
Regular vaccination of dogs has for years played a part in keeping our dogs healthy and supporting the cause of public health. Using the rabies vaccine as an example, studies have demonstrated that when dogs receive rabies vaccinations, there is a corresponding decrease in the reported incidents of rabies in people.
Vaccines are generally classified as either core vaccines or non-core vaccines chosen by recommendation.
Examples of core or required vaccines are canine distemper, canine, parvovirus, canine hepatitis, and adenovirus.
Examples of non core vaccines are bordatella for kennel cough, canine parainfluenza, Lyme disease, canine coronavirus, giardia vaccine and rattlesnake vaccine.
Veterinarians are now considering a myriad of factors prior to recommending a vaccine protocol. For example, if a dog is always at home, a vaccine to protect against kennel cough is not necessary. Lyme disease vaccinations are not needed for dogs that don’t live in the regions of the country where this problem does not present itself.
A variety of opinions exist as to the efficacy and advantage of frequent vaccinations. Some of the arguments against frequent, excessive and annual vaccination include adverse consequences, suppressed immunology, and impairment of long term health resulting in a shorter life span for dogs.
Vaccine manufacturers have been reformulating their vaccines to last for three years as opposed to the previous one year norm. This attempt by the manufacturers is in response to calls by advocates and some veterinarians who have called for a three year vaccine life and fewer vaccinations.
This on its face seems to have some merit. But vaccine experts are not easily convinced. For example the American Animal Hospital Association ( AAHA,) reports that :
“…there is growing professional and public awareness that vaccine products are not as benign as first believed, and controversy exists as to duration of immunity and frequency of administration. Vaccine administration is a medical procedure with which, as with any medical decision, there are benefits as well as attendant risks”
Vaccines have beneficial qualities as acknowledged by the AAHA. A good example of this would be the previously mentioned rabies vaccine. When utilized on a three year interval, the rabies vaccine has had a positive impact on dog and public health.
But the excessive and frequent vaccination of our dogs can be risky. Dogs that are vaccinated needlessly are subject to more diseases and disorders than dogs that are not excessively vaccinated. This is because the immune system of the dog has been compromised.
The approach of extending the duration of time for vaccine life has been recently been extended by veterinary teaching hospitals and some private veterinarians. A gradual awareness is emerging that when a dog is bombarded with vaccines, the attack on the dog’s system and her long term health may outweigh any potential benefit from the vaccination protocol.
The following view is offered by Dr Robert Pitcairn, D.V.M, PhD in his book “Natural Health for Dogs and Cats “where he states:”Vaccinations are not always effective, and they may cause long-lasting health disturbances.” p. 321
Dr Pitcairn further states that vaccinations may ” cause an acute disease or a chronic health problem.” p.322
Examples of conditions that may be attributed to the introduction of vaccines in dogs include, but is not limited to, immune disorders, thyroid problems, allergies, and skin conditions.
As the debate continues there seems to be a gradual move in the direction of fewer vaccinations. Many veterinarians now ascribe to the philosophy that a more natural, common sense approach to vaccinations is in order, as opposed to blanket vaccinations for all dogs on a regular basis.
Dogs that are not boarded probably don’t need a vaccination against kennel cough. Lyme disease is prevalent only in a few areas of the U.S. Unless you live in one of those regions, this vaccination is not necessary.
A typical visit to a veterinary office may result in recommendations for up to sixteen vaccinations for your dog. Before giving you veterinarian your consent, ask him to explain the possible risks associated with each vaccine.
Therapeutic Results Of Gleevec In Many Cancer Types
Since its first administration on human subjects suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia in 2001, Gleevec proved to be the most efficient drug therapy with the most promising improvements. Its targeted action on cancerous white blood cells produced by the abnormally functioning bone marrow also showed less side-effects comparing to prior used drugs. Gleevec has a small rate of toxicity causing nausea, skin rashes or fluid retention but is far more advantageous than drugs injuring internal organs like heart, kidneys or lungs or attacking normal tissues while killing cancer cells.
Since 2001 Gleevec has been successfully used in curing other cancer types as well, due to its targeted action on the abnormal tyrosine kinases sending wrong signals to active cells. At least three other cancerous conditions are known to be caused by genetically modified tyrosine kinases. The gastrointestinal stromal tumor was earlier a very difficult to treat disease; it is caused by a different type of tyrosine kinases than the one responsible for chronic myeloid Leukemia but Gleevec could successfully inhibit it as well.
About 60% of the patients with this tumor treated with Gleevec showed remarkable improvement and real benefic effects but doctors must still wait a few years to know how long the effects will last.
The chronic myelomonocytic leukemia is another very rare encountered blood disease upon which Gleevec proved to be efficient. Myelomonocytic Leukemia is a particular type of myeloid Leukemia also caused by a genetically modified tyrosine kinases. The third cancerous condition with great improvements after the chemotherapy with Gleevec is the hypereosinophilic Syndrome, another blood cancer with an abnormally high multiplication rate of the eosinophilic blood cells responsible for fighting against parasite-linked diseases and allergies.
Eosinohils are a type of white blood cells representing about 3-5% of the total number of leucocytes in the human blood. The hypereosinophilic syndrome develops with an accumulation of outnumbered eosinophils inside the bloodstream. They have major toxic properties in large numbers and have toxic effects on tissues such as heart and nervous system. This disease is known to have multiple causes and therefore many possible pathological types. The study with Gleevec administration was made on the chronic hypereosinophilic Leukemia and the patients’ condition was substantially improved.
The detection of Gleevec was a real scientific success as it was able to treat conditions with no other possible therapies. In case of the chronic myeloid Leukemia the bone transplant is the most efficient cure but is has many side-effects and can only be performed on some patient types. Gleevec was a second chance for the patients with real benefits as it can be self-administered due to its pill form.
Gleevec is not yet the magic cure in cancer as it can produce no molecular changes on genetic mistakes but its discovery has shown that we are close to finding a real therapy for cancer.
Fact Sheet for Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is one of the worst liver diseases, it affects more that 30.000 people each year, and millions are carrying the hepatitis C virus in their bodies. Unfortunately it also causes quite a large number of deaths.
There are 6 types of hepatitis viruses, and all of them affect the liver in one way or another. Hepatitis C is the most dangerous type.
The hepatitis C virus causes the liver to inflammate, and if it is not treated it can lead to liver cancer. It is transmitted by blood to blood contact with an infected person – if you share the same needle in an injection, have sex with a virus carrier, or if you were born from a mother that has the virus. You can’t get the hepatitis C virus if you touch, hug or kiss someone that has it.
There are two main types of hepatitis C – acute and chronic.
The acute hepatitis C virus becomes active 6 months after the infection with it. It can be detected if a blood analysis is performed but surprisingly it has almost no signs and symptoms. Only a few patients with hepatitis C experience abdominal pain, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Aproximately a quarter of the acute hepatitis C patients naturally eliminate the virus from their bodies, but the remaining three quarters develop chronic hepatitis C. A few years ago doctors did nothing against acute hepatitis C and waited to see if the virus is eliminated, but recent research has shown that if it is treated the chances that the virus disappears increases.
Chronic hepatitis C appears if the virus is not eliminated in the first 6 months. It has almost no detectable symptoms and in most cases it is discovered accidentally during tests on the patient. But when the liver gets seriously damaged some symptoms do occur. The most common ones are fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, headache, nausea, low appetite, muscle and joint pain.
The next phase of hepatitis C is called cirrhosis, and its symptoms are related to the fact that the liver is not functioning properly anymore. Patients with cirrhosis are bruised and bleed easily, experience jaundice, bone pain, and other symptoms that vary from one patient to another.
It is very hard to cure hepatitis C. If it is discovered while it’s in the acute phase then the chances increase, but in its chronic phase only few are cured.
The most common hepatitis C treatment is a number of injections with a drug called pegylated interferon alfa, which is combined with ribavirin pills. These two substances help the body clear the virus, but they are not always effective and they have several side effects among which you can find anemia and fatigue.
If the disease has advanced too much and its damage to the liver is irreversible then a liver transplant must be done. The bad thing about this is that it is pretty hard to find a liver that fits because a large number of people need this transplant and there are too few donors.
Since so little can be done against this terrible disease you should always beware getting infected with it. Under no circumstances share the same needle with anyone and stay away from sexual encounters with strangers. We can only hope that the future will come with a cure for hepatitis C.
18 Little Known Facts About Liver Disease
Did you know that 10% of Americans are, or have been affected by a liver, biliary or gallbladder disease? A vast number of the millions of people suffering from liver disease are unaware of the extent to which it truly affects our society. The disease can remain undetected for years without pronounced symptoms. When symptoms do present themselves, they typically include nausea, jaundice, fatigue, depression, reduced libido, muscle aches, and more.
There are numerous misconceptions about the liver. Unbeknownst to some, the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, and is responsible for removing toxins from our bodies. Another largely unknown fact is that, even though they may not be alcoholics, social drinkers also run the risk developing alcoholic hepatitis.
Also cause for some confusion is chronic Hepatitis C infection, one of the leading causes of cirrhosis in the United States. Hepatitis C can be a deadly disease but is not necessarily fatal to all of its carriers, due in large part to the multitude of variables affecting the virus’s path.
Incorporating liver wellness into our daily routines can help prevent liver disease and lead to longer, healthier lives. For example, getting enough sleep and reducing stress can both be instrumental in the healthy upkeep of your liver, as these two factors help strengthen your immune system. Eliminating the consumption of foods that are fried or processed can also impact liver wellness, because both types of food create excessive strain to the liver. Additionally, the antioxidant milk thistle has been clinically proven to dramatically affect the protection of liver cells.
Click here to read this article in its entirety and learn about the magnitude of liver disease, as well as many more interesting facts about your liver, Hepatitis C, and additional suggestions to help maintain your body’s most vital organ.
What Are the Common STD Tests?
A sexual health clinic will usually recommend testing for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis. They will then recommend other tests and vaccinations according to what your risk is.
Chlamydia in women is an infection of the neck of the womb which is sexually transmitted. It usually exhibits no symptoms but causes scarring to the reproductive organs which cases difficulties in becoming pregnant and can cause infertility. Chlamydia isn’t limited to the womb. Chlamydia conjunctivitis is a condition of the eye which was once an important cause of blindness. If a mother gives birth to her child whilst infected with Chlamydia, the child will also have the disease. Chlamydia is a curable condition and can be treated with a course of antibiotics.
Gonorrhoea in men, usually causes burning during urination. Like Chlamydia though, it usually exhibits no symptoms in women. It is important to treat Gonorrhoea quickly before it causes serious health problems – it can be treated by a dose of antibiotics
Syphilis symptoms are usually displayed by a sore on the skin that was exposed to the infection. This doesn’t hurt and goes away in about a month, however the syphilis hasn’t gone away and the bacteria continues to spread around the body and symptoms of this secondary phase are rashes and sores. Syphilis can be treated with a dose of penicillin.
HIV orHuman immunodeficiency virus is a virus which causes AIDs. Symptoms of HIV include weight loss, a cough, fever, fatigue and red blotches on the skin. HIV can be effectively treated but it can’t be cured. If you have been exposed to the HIV virus, you should attend a sexual health clinic as soon as possible. Treatment by Post-exposure prophylaxis after exposure may prevent you becoming HIV positive as long as you start the treatment within 72 hours.
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tests for chlamydiaFatty Liver Disease Treatment
The appropriate treatment for fatty liver disease depends on what is causing it. It is a condition that is reversible if treated at an early stage. People who have this condition have fat in their liver cells. It can be seen in people who ingest a lot of alcohol or people who are obese.
There is not one routine treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Doctors work to treat the cause. If the cause is obesity, doctors work with the patient to lose weight through changes in diet, exercise, weight loss surgery or medications. It is also important to refrain from alcohol.
Alcoholic fatty liver disease is the second type. Symptoms may include: weight loss, fatigue, or pain in the upper right stomach. There may be no symptoms at all. The majority of people in the United States who abuse alcohol end up with this condition. The liver ends up enlarged which causes discomfort. Quitting drinking is the first step of treating the alcoholic version of this disease. Continued alcohol use can lead to advanced diseases. Advanced diseases include alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Treatments that are appropriate for this disease caused by obesity are also appropriate for the disease that is induced by alcohol use.
Eating healthy, losing weight, and exercising are good for both forms of fatty liver disease as well as for overall health. It is important to get routine checkups with a medical doctor because that is the most common way this disease is found. A fatty liver may show up on x-rays or ultrasounds and may be confirmed with a biopsy. After anesthesia, a doctor removes a tiny part of the liver which is looked at under a microscope. The doctor looks for inflammation, signs of fat, and damage. The diagnosis is fatty liver if inflammation and damage are not present.
Treating fatty liver disease is important because not treating it can cause liver problems to get worse. The liver has many functions that are very important to the body. Here is a list of some of the things the liver does: it produces substances that break down fat, produces cholesterol, filters harmful things from the blood, and makes certain amino acids. That is why it is very important to make sure the liver remains healthy.
For more useful information on this subject go to http://fattyliverdiseasediet.org/
Alcoholic Drinks Have Irresistible Temptation
Alcohol is one of the most dominant forces on earth in which it is very hard and takes a lot of nerves to resist. People with uncontrollable behavior of drinking excessive alcohol can be called an alcoholic. An alcoholic may sometimes succeed in quitting and stopping drinking alcoholic beverages right after several attempts.
These are just some of the very most usual and classic behaviors an alcoholic possesses: a person is drinking not because there is an occasion to celebrate but because he wanted a relief and the relaxation brought by alcoholic drinks is just perfect to ease the feeling of being tired after hours of work and stress.
Broken relationships are also a force that drives a person to drink too much so that he will not be affected too much emotionally. Life’s problems can be solved by drinking alcohol is also believed by alcoholics. Drinking alcohol in excessive amount could be dangerous to your health.
The inability of a person to know and recognize that he or she is drunk or in the early level of alcoholism, boasting, drinking too much alcohol than the last time, tolerance, drinking excessive amount of alcohol, changes in behavior such as easily irritated and aggressiveness are just some of the old and classic behavioral pattern of a person that is alcoholic.
Whenever a person is drunk and if the effects of the alcoholic drink kicks in, that person would most likely experience vomiting, hangovers, blackouts, stomach upset and hand tremors. If an alcoholic person suffers the consequences of his drinking habits, he might blame anyone and everything around him instead of stopping and quitting the real cause of the problem, which is the alcohol.
If a person were alcoholic, he would be depending to alcohol all his life. Alcohol is now his life and it is something that saves him from problems, as he believes.
Addiction to alcohol might lead to some serious problems including work-related issues, marital problems, health problems, and financial crisis in the family. An alcoholic person usually neglects some important things and responsibility.
This includes working to provide for the family, playtime with children, peaceful environment inside the house and the love between the husband and wife.
Alcoholic drinks are so irresistible which makes them very much addictive and people are craving for more than excess. Alcoholic addiction is something that must not be tolerated and treated before it can lead to more serious major problems.
It is a fact that whenever a person drinks a lot of alcohol, he would probably and most likely to lose control of himself. He might do something that he is not aware that he is doing it. Alcoholism is one of the major causes of crimes around the city.
Hepatitis C- Basic Information
Hepatitis is the medical term for a condition that has as a result the inflammation of your liver. In most of the hepatitis cases, the inflammation is caused by an infection. The other reasons that can lead to hepatitis are alcohol abuse, different types of medication, poisons and even other diseases. There are different types of hepatitis, one of them being hepatitis C. This particular type of hepatitis is caused by the hepatitis C virus.
Here are some very important facts to remember when suffering form hepatitis C:
- if the inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus is not reversed in time, it can lead to chronic hepatitis; in turn chronic hepatitis can lead to chronic disease of the liver, that can go as far as liver failure or death;
- if other hepatitis treatments did not work and you find yourself in the situation of a liver failure, the only thing left to do is a liver transplant;
- an astonishing number of almost eighty percent of the people that suffer from hepatitis C also develop the chronic hepatitis C form;
Nowadays, hepatitis C has become a very serious threat worldwide. In some countries, like the United States Of America, at the top of the causes that lead to liver damage is hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus is very spread and many Americans are victims. The hepatitis C virus is also the reason for about twenty percent of the acute hepatitis and more than fifty percent of the cirrhosis cases are believed to be caused by the hepatitis C virus. There are many people that have antibodies for the hepatitis C virus, thing that means that they were exposed to this hepatitis virus once in their lives.
The hepatitis C virus is very contagious and is mostly transmitted through blood products or blood. Contaminated needles are a very big part of infection with hepatitis C. People who use drugs intravenous and use dirty needles are very much at risk of developing hepatitis C. Blood transfusions are also a risk factor when hepatitis C is concerned. Nowadays, there is a test that is done to see if the blood that will be given to another person is infected with the hepatitis C virus.
There are also other causes of infection withe the hepatitis C virus, but they are less common. The hepatitis C virus can be passed down from mother to infant or through sexual intercourse.
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hepatitis cWhy Should You Vaccinate Your New Puppy?
Why should you vaccinate your new puppy? Vaccination is the only way to protect your dog against many viral diseases that are very contagious, and can be fatal. Because these diseases are caused by viruses, there is no cure and treatment can be expensive, distressing for both you and your dog, and not always successful.
Vaccinations are crucial to your dog’s health. Vaccination programs start at 6 – 8 weeks of age, and boosters are given at approximately 4 to 6 week intervals until the puppy is 18 – 20 weeks of age. The reason for these boosters is that the antibodies the puppy gets from his mother actually interfere with the vaccine’s effectiveness. Since these maternal antibodies are lost at different ages in different puppies, we need to give boosters to ensure we have enough protective levels of antibodies in all puppies.
There is now a vaccine available to protect puppies from 10 weeks of age against canine parvovirus, distemper and hepatitis with a single dose (or at 6 weeks and again at 10 weeks if earlier protection is needed). Your vet will advise you of the best program for your dog.
Some of the preventable diseases are:
Canine Distemper – Causes respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurologic signs in affected dogs and can be fatal. Recovered dogs may have permanent damage to their nervous systems. Unvaccinated dogs are at high risk of contracting this highly contagious disease which is spread by discharges from the nose and eyes of infected dogs.
Infectious Hepatitis – It’s caused by a viral agent, the canine adenovirus, and is spread through infected urine. The virus may cause liver failure, eye damage and respiratory problems which can be fatal. Commonly encountered clinical signs are vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and occasionally coughing.
Canine Parvovirus – It’s caused by parvovirus is both serious and widespread in dogs. Signs, which include severe vomiting and diarrhea with blood, result from the virus damaging the gastrointestinal tract. The disease is spread through infected feces and can lead to death in 48 to 72 hours. Parvovirus infection may also cause bone marrow and heart disease in dogs.
Canine Parainfluenza Virus – It’s one of the causes of kennel cough. This respiratory disease is most commonly caused by a virus. Characteristic features of kennel cough are a hacking cough, discharge from the nose, and occasional fever.
Canine Cough or ‘Kennel Cough’ is a contagious upper respiratory condition that can be a problem wherever dogs group together – especially in kennels. Vaccination with a vaccine that includes kennel cough is recommended for prevention of the disease, and is usually required before your dog goes into boarding and if you are planning on grooming him at a salon.
Vaccines must undergo safety trials and are considered very safe, vaccines can still cause reactions in a small number of pets. Most commonly, dogs or cats will feel tired, may run a fever for 24 to 48 hours after vaccination, and may not eat. In some cats, a small, non-painful lump may form at the site where the vaccine was injected; usually disappearing 4 to 6 weeks later. Rarely, a pet will develop facial swelling or a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), maybe accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties and collapse. Anaphylactic reactions are rarely fatal if treated immediately, so call your vet. The incident will be in your dog’s records, and the next time, they’ll be able to prevent it from happening.
Studies show that vaccines protect dogs for a longer period than previously believed. There have also been many improvements in the type of vaccines being produced, however, there’s also increased awareness and concern that vaccinations are not as harmless as once thought. Veterinarians recommend that no needless risks should be taken and that the best way to accomplish that is to reduce the number and frequency of administration of unnecessary vaccines.
There are tests that measure protective antibody levels for diseases that are called titers. Reliable titer tests for some diseases such as canine distemper and parvovirus have become more readily available and economical. Veterinarians may recommend using these titer tests in some cases to determine whether or not vaccinations are needed. Your veterinarian can provide you with more information on titer testing.
As is the case with any medical decision, you and your veterinarian should make vaccination decisions after considering your dog’s age, lifestyle, and potential exposure to infectious diseases.