The largest infection in recent times hepatitis A happened in Shanghai (1988). The epidemic was caused by infected shellfish, which were caught in an area where the river was a zone with high hepatitis contamination (wastewater flowed into it), and eaten.
During this epidemic, about 300 thousand people fell ill, 47 with deaths. The risk of these epidemics is due to the fact that patients are contagious a week before the first symptoms appear, and with the development of jaundice, the excretion of the virus in the stool practically disappears. All contact with others is stopped when the symptoms are visible (sick yellow) and therefore safe.
Pandemic is an epidemic that affects many countries around the world.
Hepatitis C, most often occurs asymptomatically, hidden. A person finds out that he is sick unexpectedly. For example, being examined for another disease. From the point of view of the spread of infection, this means that patients who do not follow precautionary measures pose a threat of mass infection with hepatitis.
Routes of transmission of hepatitis
Transmission occurs – parenterally – through the blood (hepatitis B, D, C, F, G, TTV) – bypassing the gastrointestinal tract, and fecal-oral – through the mouth (hepatitis A and E).
Where can you get hepatitis:
- transfusing blood
- at the dentist,
- insect bites,
- in the pedicure room,
- at home,
- sexual contacts.
The main ways of infection:
- sexual and household routes of transmission, as a rule, with the hepatitis B virus. This is due to its high ability to cause infection in humans (virulence). It has been proven that it is a hundred times more contagious than AIDS. To cause acute hepatitis B, minimal traces (0,0001 ml) of infected blood are sufficient.
- Tracking the relationship between hepatitis epidemics and cataclysms (war).
- The incidence of hepatitis is maintained at a certain level depending on geographical region, epidemics break out periodically.
- Any violation of hygiene standards and requirements increases the risk of infection with hepatitis A and E viruses.
- Fecal-oral route– you can become infected through: dirty hands, contaminated water, dirty food.
Hepatitis during pregnancy
Infected pregnant women often pass the hepatitis B virus to their baby. This can happen during pregnancy, during childbirth, or after birth. Hepatitis C is more favorable in this regard. As a rule, an insignificant concentration of the virus is found in the blood of infected people, so it is transmitted in everyday life, during sexual intercourse and childbirth, rarely – in 5-6% of cases.