title: Viral hepatitis: prevention and prophylaxis.
abstract: Hepatitis A is spread by fecal-oral transmission and accounts for 25% of the cases of sporadic hepatitis in this country; fatal cases have been documented but are unusual, and chronic hepatitis A has not been documented. Hepatitis B is spread by varied routes of transmission, fecal-oral being the least important, and accounts for half the cases of sporadic hepatitis in this country; fatal cases are well documented and chronic hepatitis B is common. The only documented route of transmission of non-A, non-B hepatitis is parenteral; fatal and chronic cases have been documented, and a quarter of the cases of sporadic hepatitis are non-A, non-B. Diagnosis of the etiology of viral hepatitis cannot be determined on clinical grounds but must be made through serologic tests.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D003428:Cross Infection; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010356:Patient Isolation
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins