What you need to know about viral hepatitis

Hepatitis is a liver disease which can be caused by a variety of viruses.

How do people become infected?

How can we protect ourselves?

What is the treatment?

We will try to answer all your questions.

Hepatitis can cause serious damage to the liver. The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body. It plays a critical role in four key areas of metabolism: fuel management, nitrogen excretion, the regulation of water distribution between the blood and tissues, and the detoxification of foreign substances such as alcohol or medicines.

It often has no visible symptoms and more often than not, the only way to know if you are infected is to do a test in a laboratory or in a free and anonymous testing centre.

There is, by and large, a good response to the vaccines.

For people exposed to the hepatitis virus, the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh the disadvantages of the side effects.

Don’t forget: There is a vaccine against hepatitis A and B but no vaccine against hepatit C

Viral hepatitis is a silent and slowly progressive disease

Les hépatites ne donnent souvent pas de signe visible. Le seul moyen de savoir si vous êtes atteint est de faire un test de dépistage dans un laboratoire d'analyses médicales, (sur ordonnance) ou dans les CDAG.

Les vaccins contre les hépatites sont généralement très bien tolérés.

Pour les personnes exposées aux virus des hépatites, il y a plus de bénéfices à la vaccination que de risques d’effets indésirables.

N’oubliez pas : il existe un vaccin contre l’hépatite A, un vaccin contre l’hépatite B mais pas de vaccin contre l'hépatite C !

FAQ - "What you need to know about viral hepatitis"

How can you catch viral hepatitis ?

go to What you need to know

Will I inevitably catch viral hepatitis if I am in contact with contaminated blood?

No, not necessarily. However hepatitis B (HVB) and hepatitis C (HVC) are more resistant to the open air than HIV, even if the blood is in minute quantities and invisible. Blood can be found on syringes, piercing equipment and many household objects such as tooth brushes, razors and so on.

In order for infection to take place, there must be contact with an infected liquid and a way into the body. Here the infected liquid is blood and the way in could be a wound, a cut on the skin made with a sharp or pointed object, an injection or mucous membranes. Hepatitis B and C can be easily transmitted if blood gets into the eyes (which are also mucous membranes) or during unprotected sexual intercourse (e.g. during menstrual periods).

Don’t forget that hepatitis B is not only transmitted through the blood. On the page “all you need to know about hepatitis” you will find all necessary information on the routes of transmission.

How do I know if I’m infected with hepatitis ?

The best way to find out if you are infected is to talk to your doctor and do a test in a free and anonymous testing centre or in a medical analysis laboratory (in this case, you’ll need a prescription). You can find a list of free and anonymous testing centres in your area on the Sida Info Service website (http://www.sida-info-service.org)

Is there a cure for hepatitis ?

There is not one viral hepatitis but many different ones depending on the virus they cause.
One thing they all have in common is that they damage the liver.

In case of hepatitis, it is a liver specialist (hepatologist or gastroenterologist) who cares for the patient. He or she prescribes tests to see the condition of the liver and decides if the patient needs to be put on treatment.

In the case of hepatitis A, this is not necessary as it never becomes chronic.

In the case of hepatitis B, there are some rare cases of remission but never a cure. Apart from these cases, the usual procedure is for the doctor to prescribe a suppressant treatment (which prevents the virus from replicating, like for the HIV virus).He or she assesses the condition of the liver and prescribes treatment to slow down the evolution of the virus if necessary.

In the case of hepatitis C, a cure is possible. There is now a combination treatment which you need to take for a certain length of time, depending on the specificity of the virus you have. It can eliminate the hepatitis C virus from the body.
Being cured of hepatitis C does not necessarily mean that you are immunised: you can get infected again.

I had unsafe sex… can I get infected with hepatitis ?

In case of unprotected sex (without a condom) it is possible to get infected with hepatitis B.

J'ai entendu que le vaccin contre l’hépatite B était dangereux : c’est vrai ?

Studies show that the benefits of being vaccinated against hepatitis B outweigh any disadvantages it may have for the general public. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended its use since 1992.
The benefits are even greater (and the vaccine is highly recommended) for those who are in contact with the virus, e.g. those who practice unsafe sex (sperm, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal secretions), piercing, tattooing, drug use ( straws, crack pipes, syringes, cotton filters, spoons etc) and travelling in countries where it is widely spread.

N.B. There is also a hepatitis A vaccine which is recommended for those who practice anal-oral sex (anilingus).

I heard that the vaccine for hepatitis B is dangerous: is that true ?

Depending on the person, the vaccine can be active from ten years to a life-time. Therefore it is recommended to check if it is still active if you were vaccinated a long time ago.
In case of HIV infection, the length of time the vaccine is active can be reduced because of the weakened immune system. In this case you should have a check-up more often. Talk to your doctor about it.

You can get the vaccine in a free and anonymous testing centre or in a medical analysis laboratory. If you choose the latter, you will need a doctor’s prescription.
You can find a list of free and anonymous testing centres on the Sida Info Service website.

What is AIDES’s position on hepatitis ?

In the field, many observations guide our activists:

- Among injecting drug users, the number of people infected with hepatitis (especially hepatitis C) is very high.
At the beginning, these people were often refused treatment because of their practices.
Things have changed since then but some hindrances still linger; the gap between the way the health system works and the needs of drug users (access to sterile equipment) and prevention messages which are not adapted.
We defend their right to health.

- Among those who are co-infected (HIV and hepatitis), it is important to advocate for treatment which takes into account the specificities of co-infection and to guarantee that the health services in charge of HIV and hepatitis liaise with one another in order to optimise patients’ care. Let’s not forget that one in three HIV positive people are co-infected with hepatitis.

- Among prison inmates the number of infected people is also very high. According to a study carried out by the Sanitary Surveillance Institute (2003-2004), people who have been in prison are ten times more likely to get hepatitis C than the rest of the population. These figures mean that we need to promote access to testing, prevention and treatment inside prisons.

Today, one person in five catered for at AIDES says they are infected with a hepatitis virus, and the same number say that they are unaware of their hepatitis serology status.