Viral hepatitis. What have we learned about risk factors and transmission?
Understanding of transmission of viral hepatitis continues to improve. Patients with certain behaviors (eg, injecting drug use, male homosexual activity) are at risk of infection with multiple hepatitis viruses. However, a significant proportion of patients who become infected have no identifiable risk factor for hepatitis. Many who contract hepatitis B or C are unaware of their infection. Therefore, patients often present with serologic evidence of previous infection but have no knowledge of a previous infection or recognizable risk factors.
Becherer
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PR
Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, USA.
D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology