11.
Early symptoms of hepatitis are similar to the common flu with accompanying
f___e, joint and muscle p__n, and loss of a___te. Low-grade fever, n__a, v___g,
and d___a or constipation may occur. As the disease progresses, the liver may
en___e and become tender. Jaundice or the yellowing of the skin and eyes
appears as b____n, accumulates in the blood. The severity of the symptoms
varies from p____t to p___t, and symptoms are not specific for the c____ve agent.
12.
The predominant causative agents of hepatitis are: hepatitis _ virus (HAV),
hepatitis _ virus (HBV), hepatitis _ virus (HDV), and hepatitis non-_,
non-_ (NANB).
13.
Testing for the specific type of viral hepatitis involved in the disease process is
based on detecting viral a___s present in the patient's serum as well as the
detection of specific a___ies produced in the immune response to the viral agent.
Antibodies associated with viral hepatitis are either IgM or IgG im_____ns. IgM
immunoglobulins are involved in the primary immune response and serve as good
im__cal test markers of recent or acute infection since they appear at the o__t of
the infection and are short l__d. IgG immunoglobulins usually serve as good
immunological markers of p__t exposure and possible i___y. The most common
methodology utilized to detect the serological markers of hepatitis is the e___e
immunoassay.
14.
Does the hepatitis A virus have an envelope? __. It is a single-stranded RNA
virus which belongs to the p___virus class of viruses. It consists of an outer
c____d containing the hepatitis A antigen. The capsid surrounds the single s___d
of RNA and the viral protein g____e (VPG). The VPG aids the virus in attaching to
the host cytoplasmic ri_____somes for self-replication.
15.
The hepatitis A virus is transmitted via the o__l-f__l (enteric) route. HAV may be
found in f__s and may be transmitted to others through poor personal h__e,
through the sharing of e__g utensils, through oral-anal s__l contact, or through the
sharing of common items which are contaminated with infectious f__l material
such as children's toys. Contaminated f____d and w____r are frequent modes of
transmission.
MD0838
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