Intravenous drug user hepatitis

Infection with one or more strains of viral hepatitis often causes acute inflammation of the liver, while chronic infection with hepatitis B or C can lead to cirrhosis. Hepatitis B and C are common in intravenous drug users and can also be transmitted through sexual contact, but many cases of hepatitis C are idiopathic.5,6 Hepatitis C is a more common cause of cirrhosis than hepatitis B in the United States while hepatitis B is more common in the rest of the world.7 See Chapter 21 on viral hepatitis for a complete discussion of infectious hepatitis. 

Intravenous drug users using unsterilized needles Workers involved with non-human primates Food service handlers Patients with clotting factor disorders Individuals residing in health care institutions Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D Men having sex with other men Individuals with multiple heterosexual partners Intravenous drug users using unsterilized needles Recipients of blood products... 

Silini, E., Bono, F., Cividini, A., Cerino, A., Maccabrnni, A., TinelU, C., Bruno, S., Bellobuono, A., Mondelli, M.U. Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection among intravenous drug users. J. Hepatol. 1995 22 691-695... 

Kao J, Chen P, Lai M, Chen D. Hepatitis D virus genotypes in intravenous drug users in Taiwan Decreasing prevalence and lack of correlation with hepatitis B virus genotypes. J Cfin Microbiol 2002 40 3047-9. 

Hepatitis A Inactivated virus Give 2-4 weeks prior to travel to endemic areas, household contacts, intravenous drug users... 

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