Infectious Causes of Hepatitis 1

Question 1

What is hepatitis?

Answer 1

Inflammation of the liver

Question 2

How long does acute hepatitis last?

Answer 2

weeks to months

Question 3

What are the symptoms of acute hepatitis?

Answer 3

non specific flu like symptoms, jaundice, dark urine, pale faeces

Question 4

How long does chronic hepatitis last?

Answer 4

years to a lifetime

Question 5

What are the symptoms of chronic hepatitis?

Answer 5

general malaise with progression to cirrhosis and possibly liver cancer

Question 6

What is fulminant hepatitis?

Answer 6

very quick necrosis of hepatic tissue - leads to death due to acute liver failure

Question 7

What causes the liver damage?

Answer 7

The immune response

Question 8

What does exposure to hepatitis early in life mean?

Answer 8

The acute disease will be less severe but there are higher rates of chronic infection

Question 9

If you immunised against one hepatitis virus are you immunised against them all?

Answer 9

No - the viruses are unrelated and so there is no cross protection

Question 10

Which hepatitis viruses cause chronic infection?

Answer 10

HBV and HCV

Question 11

What is the route of transmission for hepatitis A and E?

Answer 11

faecal oral

Question 12

What type of infection is caused by hepatitis A and E?

Answer 12

acute

Question 13

How are hepatitis A and E prevented?

Answer 13

sanitation and also immunisation for A

Question 14

What areas have the highest prevalence for hepatitis A?

Answer 14

Areas of poor sanitation - Asia, Africa, South America

Question 15

Which area of Australia has the highs prevalence of hepatitis A?

Answer 15

indigenous communities

Question 16

To what family does the hepatitis A virus belong?

Answer 16

picornaviridae family

Question 17

To what genus does the hepatitis A virus belong?

Answer 17

hepatovirus

Question 18

What is the structure of the hepatitis A virus?

Answer 18

non-enveloped + sense ssRNA virus

Question 19

Where do hepatitis A and E replicated?

Answer 19

Both in the intestinal epithelia and in hepatocytes

Question 20

How is hepatitis A and E excreted?

Answer 20

In the bile which goes into the faeces

Question 21

Is there perinatal transmission of hepatitis A and E?

Answer 21

No

Question 22

What does liver enzyme ALT indicate?

Answer 22

The presence of replicating virus

Question 23

Which antibodies are present in response to hepatitis A and E?

Answer 23

IgM first then IgG

Question 24

How is acute viral hepatitis diagnosed?

Answer 24

serological tests or nucleic acid tests

Question 25

How can you tell in a serological test if the infection is acute?

Answer 25

Either by the presence of IgM antibodies or a rising titre of IgG antibodies

Question 26

What is the incubation period of hepatitis A?

Answer 26

on average 30 days

Question 27

What are the complications of hepatitis A?

Answer 27

fulminant hepatitis or cholestatic hepatitis

Question 28

Can hepatitis A become a chronic infection?

Answer 28

no

Question 29

How long do the symptoms of hepatitis A last?

Answer 29

2-3 weeks

Question 30

What is the treatment for hepatitis A?

Answer 30

supportive rehydration and nutrition

Question 31

How effective is the hepatitis A vaccine?

Answer 31

100% effective after 2 doses

Question 32

Why is the hepatitis A vaccine expensive to produce?

Answer 32

Because it has to be in diploid cells and has to have testing to check that the virus is fully inactivated

Question 33

What family does the hepatitis E virus belong to?

Answer 33

Hepeviridae

Question 34

What genus does the hepatitis E virus belong to?

Answer 34

hepevirus

Question 35

What is the structure of the hepatitis E virus?

Answer 35

Non enveloped icosahedral with + sense ssRNA

Question 36

Which of hepatitis E and hepatitis A viruses is more fragile in the environment?

Answer 36

hepatitis E

Question 37

What is the distribution of hepatitis E virus?

Answer 37

Asia, Africa and Central America

Question 38

What is the incubation period for hepatitis E?

Answer 38

40 days

Question 39

Which group of patients have increased risk of fatality from hepatitis E?

Answer 39

pregnant women

Question 40

Can hepatitis E lead to a chronic infection?

Answer 40

no

Question 41

Is there a vaccine currently for hepatitis E?

Answer 41

No

Question 42

What are the symptoms of hepatitis E?

Answer 42

jaundice, malaise, anorexia, abdominal pain, hepatomegaly, nausea and vomiting, fever, pruritus

Question 43

What is the lab diagnosis of hepatitis E?

Answer 43

serology, nucleic acid tests, and cultured in vitro

Question 44

What is the treatment for hepatitis E?

Answer 44

supportive therapy - no antiviral available

Question 45

Is immune serum globulin therapy effective to prevent hepatitis A and E?

Answer 45

A yes but E no

Question 46

Is a vaccine possible for hepatitis E?

Answer 46

Yes - it is a good prospect because it can be cultured in vitro