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Hepatitis
What is it? Strictly speaking, hepatitis means inflammation
of the liver. There are several reasons why your liver may become inflamed,
including drinking too much alcohol; side effects of certain
drugs or certain viruses. These viruses are hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and
G. Only hepatitis A, B, C and D can be sexually transmitted.
How is it transmitted? Hepatitis A is present in faeces from someone
with the virus. Therefore it is usually transmitted through contaminated
water or food or certain sexual practices. It is relatively common amongst
people who have anal sex.
You cannot contract hepatitis B from contaminated food or water. It is
transmitted through sexual intercourse, oral sex, and sharing needles.
There is
illustration by john clarkson
a high prevalence of hepatitis B among gay men, so they
are often offered the hepatitis B vaccine at a sexual health clinic.
Hepatitis D is transmitted in the same ways as hepatitis B, but you can
only contract it at the same time as hepatitis B or if you already have
hepatitis B. It is difficult but by no means unknown to contract hepatitis
C through penetrative sexual intercourse or oral/anal contact.
What are the symptoms? Not everyone develops initial symptoms with these
viruses but they can all cause a short-term disease lasting a few weeks.
The symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine,
extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting and possibly abdominal pain.
Hepatitis A is generally self-limiting: you will get better.
The initial illness caused by Hepatitis B is often worse than that caused by hepatitis A
