The U.S Department of Health and Human Services reported that more than half of people living with hepatitis do not know that they have the virus. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections have increased over the past decade. In 2019, deaths caused by viral hepatitis per 100,000 population is 1.3 according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hepatitis patients can qualify for medical marijuana. To gain access to an MMJ card, feel free to visit our Ohio page.
Each year in the United States, around 31,000 people get liver cancer where 50% have hepatitis C and around 15% have hepatitis B. The rates of acute hepatitis A, B, and C viral infection in 2018 were 3.81, 1.02, and 1,54 respectively per 100,000 population.
In Ohio, the incidence rates of acute hepatitis B were 3.5 per 100,000 and 1.1 per 100,000 for hepatitis C in 2015.
The Ohio Department of Health reported that in 2018-2019, there was a hepatitis A outbreak due to the number of cases that rose to 1,531, where 60% of those who got the disease were male.
The World Health Organization defines hepatitis as an inflammation of the liver. The condition can be self-limiting or can progress to these illnesses:
When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function to process nutrients, filter blood, and fight infections can be affected.
A person who gets hepatitis can suffer from symptoms from a few weeks to several months for hepatitis A, B, and C.
It can even lead to a serious, lifelong, or chronic infection, as in the case of hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S. and there is no vaccine for it. Although a cure for hepatitis C was discovered and approved in 2013.
There are 5 main types of hepatitis according to the type of the virus. These are types A, B, C, D, and E. They are of the greatest concern because of the burden of the illness and death they cause. They also have the potential for outbreaks and epidemics to spread.
All types of hepatitis cause a new or “acute” infection. Only hepatitis B and C viruses can result in a “chronic” infection that increases the risk of a person developing more serious diseases like cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.
The Hepatitis B Foundation summarized the causes or the mode of transmission of the 5 types of hepatitis viruses and how to prevent being infected by these viruses:
It is transmitted through contaminated food and water. Preventing infection with HAV will require good personal hygiene, proper sanitation, and safe vaccination for babies less than or at 12 months old, children, and adults.
It is transmitted through infected blood, unprotected sex, unsterile or contaminated needles, and from an infected woman to her newborn during childbirth. Prevention requires being vaccinated. Vaccination can be done for newborns, children, and adults.
It is transmitted through infected blood, unprotected sex, and contaminated or unsterile needles.
It is transmitted through infected blood, unprotected sex, unsterile or contaminated needles, and from an infected woman to her newborn. Infection is only possible if a person is already infected with hepatitis B. Prevention can be through being vaccinated with the hepatitis B vaccine.
It is transmitted through contaminated water, food (particularly pork and shellfish), and blood products. Prevention relies primarily on good sanitation and the availability of clean drinking water. Boiling and chlorination of water will inactivate HEV.
A person with chronic hepatitis may need intense detoxification or transfusions. When a person’s liver fails, this can affect every aspect of a patient’s life. It puts them at severe risk for secondary diseases and infections.
Previous studies have demonstrated a significantly decreased quality of life in patients suffering from hepatitis. Patients can experience profound health changes which could affect their day-to-day life because the condition can also take its toll on a person’s mental well-being.
Many people with hepatitis do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. Symptoms usually appear for patients with acute infection at any time from 2 weeks to 6 months after exposure.
The symptoms of hepatitis can include:
Generally, hepatitis symptoms are treated through supportive treatment, especially for patients suffering from chronic hepatitis.
Medical marijuana alone doesn’t treat the infection, and it doesn’t treat the complications that lead to liver disease and cirrhosis. Instead, it may be particularly effective at reducing nausea associated with the medications used to treat the virus.
If you are considering medical marijuana for your hepatitis, TeleLeaf RX can help you to apply for a medical marijuana card on our platform online.