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World Hepatitis Day: Facts &
Teaching Tools to Make an Impact
World Hepatitis Day is July 28th, making July a great time to raise awareness about hepatitis and its serious global impact.
Worldwide, millions of people are newly infected with viral forms of hepatitis each year. Every day, more than 3,500 people die from liver disease caused by viral hepatitis. Most people with chronic hepatitis have never been diagnosed with the disease or received treatment.
Fortunately, steps can be taken to prevent many cases of hepatitis, such as avoiding heavy alcohol use and preventing the transmission of viral hepatitis. And, proper diagnosis and treatment can help prevent serious complications, such as cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.
At Health Edco, we have effective and engaging health education materials that are perfect to raise awareness about hepatitis, its risk factors, and measures to take for hepatitis prevention. Read on to learn more about hepatitis and our attention-grabbing teaching tools that are ideal to teach about hepatitis prevention.
What Is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. The most common type of hepatitis is viral hepatitis, which is caused by several viruses. Hepatitis can also be caused by alcohol abuse (alcoholic hepatitis). Another form of hepatitis is toxic hepatitis, which can be caused by exposure to poisons, medications, chemicals, or supplements. Autoimmune hepatitis is a type of hepatitis that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own liver.
Our Alcohol Abuse Consequences 3-D Display features eight models depicting ways alcohol abuse can harm the body, including a large, lifelike model illustrating advanced liver disease resulting from alcoholic hepatitis. Easy-to-read text and diagrams explain each of the depicted consequences of alcohol abuse.
Although some forms of viral hepatitis are acute infections (meaning they are short-term and usually improve after several weeks), many forms of hepatitis are chronic (long term). These cases of hepatitis can lead to lifelong consequences, such as liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver failure, liver cancer, and death. Hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer.
Our Death of a Liver Easel Display uses three 3-D models of a liver to show the progression of liver disease from a normal liver to a liver with hepatitis and a liver with cirrhosis. The display also emphasizes ways to help prevent liver disease, such as maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding drugs, and preventing the transmission and contraction of sexually transmitted diseases.
What Are Different Forms of Viral Hepatitis?
Researchers have identified five distinct hepatitis viruses. In the United States, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are the most common types.
Hepatitis A is a virus that is present in an infected person’s stool. It is typically spread through contaminated food or water. With the introduction of the hepatitis A vaccine in 1995, hepatitis A has become rare in the US; it is more common in countries with poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. Hepatitis A can also be spread through sexual contact and injection drug use.
Most hepatitis A infections are acute, lasting only a few months and only rarely leading to long-lasting damage. To prevent hepatitis A, it is recommended that all children receive the hepatitis A vaccine between the ages of 12 and 23 months as part of their routine vaccination schedule. Vaccination is also recommended for adults at higher risk of hepatitis A infection and people with chronic liver disease.
Hepatitis B is a more serious form of viral hepatitis than hepatitis A and is more likely to progress to chronic infection resulting in liver failure, liver cancer, and death. The virus is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluids. It also can be passed from an infected mother to her unborn baby.
In the US, hepatitis B most commonly spreads through having sex without a condom or by injection drug use. To prevent hepatitis B, it is recommended that all newborns, children, and teens in the US receive the hepatitis B vaccine, which has been available since the 1980s. The hepatitis B vaccine is also recommended for adults at higher risk, including people who are traveling to other countries where hepatitis B is more common.
Our What You Should Know About STDs Folding Display explains that hepatitis B and hepatitis A are two types of viral hepatitis that can be sexually transmitted. The folding display also explains that vaccines are available to help prevent the contraction of hepatitis A and B.
Like hepatitis B, hepatitis C spreads through contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids, and it can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Common ways the hepatitis C virus is spread are through the use of shared drug injection equipment or having sex without a condom, as well as through accidental needle sticks, the use of unsterile tattoo equipment, or the use of an infected person’s razor or other personal items. The virus can also be transmitted from a mother to her unborn child.
In the US, it is estimated that as many as 3.9 million people have chronic hepatitis C, and many of them don’t know it, making screening for hepatitis C even more important. And, as a result of injection drug use as part of the opioid crisis, rates of hepatitis C infection have increased, particularly among younger adults. Although there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, treatments are available that can cure most chronic hepatitis C infections and stop the progression of chronic liver disease.
Our Anatomy of an Opioid Abuser 3-D Display features realistic 3-D organ models and easy-to-understand text that explains how opioid misuse and abuse can lead to organ damage and overdose death. The text explains that injection opioid abuse can lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. The acetaminophen in some prescription opioid medications can also harm the liver.
Other types of viral hepatitis that are uncommon in the US include hepatitis D and hepatitis E. Hepatitis D develops only in people already infected with hepatitis B and is spread through contact with the blood of an infected person. Vaccination against hepatitis B can also prevent hepatitis D. Spread primarily through contaminated drinking water or food, hepatitis E is more prevalent in developing countries and is especially dangerous to women who are pregnant. Although vaccines can prevent hepatitis E infection, they are not widely available.
Our Pickled Liver Model is a sealed jar containing a lifelike model of a cirrhotic liver floating next to a model of a pickle. Sure to grab attention, the jar features explanatory labels highlighting the similarities of texture and appearance between a liver destroyed by cirrhosis and a pickle. It’s an unforgettable way to reveal a potentially deadly result of alcohol abuse or the progression of viral hepatitis.
Find More Engaging Teaching Tools
World Hepatitis Day provides an invaluable opportunity to raise awareness about hepatitis and the importance of taking action to prevent it. Find more great teaching tools to educate any audience about hepatitis and liver health in our product sections covering overweight and obesity, sex education, drug abuse education, and alcohol abuse education.
The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.
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