Known as: Infectious Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E

 

About: Virus

 

Microscope: Uniform sized, white spherical

 

What can it do: All forms of Hepatitis affect the liver. The 5 streams of infectious Hepatitis can cause a variety of illnesses and symptoms. Most of the viruses cause fatigue, flu-like symptoms, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and/or weight loss, yellowish skin and eyes (signs of jaundice)

 

Help: There are vaccines that have been developed to treat anthrax depending on the strain as Anthrax is very tricky and clever and it can survive for really long periods of time when it enters any environment so strong chemicals are needed to kill the spores and kill this nasty bacteria.  In agricultural areas, it is common for animals to  be routinely vaccinated against anthrax.

 

Infectious rating: Hepatitis is highly infectious and can spread rapidly without people even knowing they have been infected.  Depending on the strain, it can be transferred via food and water, and contact with the disease in a persons body excretions such as in stool when changing a nappy. Hepatitis B and C can also be passed from a mother to a baby or by sharing a toothbrush, or a needle or razor and is passed via infected blood, such as via blood transfusions. 

 

I feel sick: Hepatitis in it's worst form can cause a lot of discomfort including weight loss, abdominal pain, fatigue and nausea. In the worse case scenario Hepatitis can cause liver cancer and liver failure and in some cases can be fatal.  

 

Skin symptoms: Blisters and bumps on the skin that might itch or ulcers with black part in the middle. Swelling in the area of the sores.  Most likely on the face, arms, neck and hands.

 

Lung symptoms: Cough, shortness of breath and chest discomfort. Chills and fever, headache, severe sweating, confusion or dizziness. Stomach pains and nausea as well as extreme tiredness and aching

 

Tummy/intestine symptoms
Fever and chills, sore throat with painful swallowing,  hoarse voice, headache, tummy pain, swelling in the abdomen, neck or glands, diarrhoea with or without blood in it, vomiting and nausea, blood vomiting, red face and eyes, fainting.

 

Injection symptoms
Fever and chills, blisters and bumps like the skin symptoms close to where the injection site is, abscesses underneath the skin or in the muscle where the drug was injected.

 

GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS
Most common in agricultural regions including South America, Central America and Sub Saharan Africa. Also in Southwest Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe and the Caribbean.  In countries where vaccination of livestock is common, case are rare, more commonly Anthrax is found in developing countries where the animals are not routinely vaccinated.

 We are updating information about Hepatitis, please pop back for updates.