Hepatitis Quiz

Overview of Hepatitis: Causes, Transmission, Clinical Manifestations, and Interprofessional Care

• Hepatitis can be caused by viral infections, alcohol, medications, chemicals, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic problems.
• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) is an RNA virus transmitted via the fecal-oral route and can be contracted through contaminated food or drinking water. It ranges from mild to acute liver failure and is not chronic. Vaccination has decreased its incidence.
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that can cause acute or chronic disease and is transmitted perinatally, percutaneously, and through household contact of chronically infected individuals. Vaccination has decreased its incidence.
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is an RNA virus that can result in acute asymptomatic or chronic liver damage and is transmitted percutaneously through IV drug use, high-risk sexual behaviors, occupational exposure, and perinatal exposure. Blood transfusions before 1992 were also a common mode of transmission.
• Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) is a defective single-stranded RNA virus that requires HBV to replicate and can only infect those who are already infected with HBV. There is no vaccine for HDV.
• Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is an RNA virus that is primarily found in developing countries and is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. It has a ten percent mortality rate in pregnant women.
• Acute hepatitis can cause a large number of hepatocytes to be destroyed, while chronic hepatitis can cause fibrosis and progress to cirrhosis.
• Clinical manifestations of hepatitis include acute and chronic symptoms, such as anorexia, malaise, fatigue, lethargy, myalgias/arthralgias, right upper quadrant tenderness, and extrahepatic symptoms like arthralgias and skin rashes.
• Complications of hepatitis include acute liver failure, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer.
• Diagnostic studies for hepatitis include specific antigen and/or antibody tests, liver function tests, viral genotype testing, physical assessment findings, liver biopsy, FibroScan, and FibroSure (FibroTest).
• Interprofessional care for hepatitis involves adequate nutrition, rest, avoiding alcohol and drugs detoxified by the liver, drug therapy with antivirals or DAAs (direct acting antivirals) for chronic infections, and health promotion measures like vaccination and screening.
• Nursing implementation for hepatitis involves assessing for jaundice, providing comfort measures, teaching dietary and medication management, and monitoring for complications. Active immunization and post-exposure prophylaxis with vaccines and immune globulin are important preventive measures.

Overview of Hepatitis: Causes, Transmission, Clinical Manifestations, and Interprofessional Care

• Hepatitis can be caused by viral infections, alcohol, medications, chemicals, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic problems.
• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) is an RNA virus transmitted via the fecal-oral route and can be contracted through contaminated food or drinking water. It ranges from mild to acute liver failure and is not chronic. Vaccination has decreased its incidence.
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that can cause acute or chronic disease and is transmitted perinatally, percutaneously, and through household contact of chronically infected individuals. Vaccination has decreased its incidence.
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is an RNA virus that can result in acute asymptomatic or chronic liver damage and is transmitted percutaneously through IV drug use, high-risk sexual behaviors, occupational exposure, and perinatal exposure. Blood transfusions before 1992 were also a common mode of transmission.
• Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) is a defective single-stranded RNA virus that requires HBV to replicate and can only infect those who are already infected with HBV. There is no vaccine for HDV.
• Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is an RNA virus that is primarily found in developing countries and is transmitted via the fecal-oral route. It has a ten percent mortality rate in pregnant women.
• Acute hepatitis can cause a large number of hepatocytes to be destroyed, while chronic hepatitis can cause fibrosis and progress to cirrhosis.
• Clinical manifestations of hepatitis include acute and chronic symptoms, such as anorexia, malaise, fatigue, lethargy, myalgias/arthralgias, right upper quadrant tenderness, and extrahepatic symptoms like arthralgias and skin rashes.
• Complications of hepatitis include acute liver failure, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer.
• Diagnostic studies for hepatitis include specific antigen and/or antibody tests, liver function tests, viral genotype testing, physical assessment findings, liver biopsy, FibroScan, and FibroSure (FibroTest).
• Interprofessional care for hepatitis involves adequate nutrition, rest, avoiding alcohol and drugs detoxified by the liver, drug therapy with antivirals or DAAs (direct acting antivirals) for chronic infections, and health promotion measures like vaccination and screening.
• Nursing implementation for hepatitis involves assessing for jaundice, providing comfort measures, teaching dietary and medication management, and monitoring for complications. Active immunization and post-exposure prophylaxis with vaccines and immune globulin are important preventive measures.