While Hepatitis A is largely only a risk in underdeveloped countries, there are a combined 5.25 million people in America living with Hepatitis B and C. The consequences of not undergoing Hepatitis treatment can be chronic Hepatitis, which can lead to serious liver damage and death. With that in mind, it’s important to understand the truth about Hepatitis…what is Hepatitis?Hepatitis A, B and C are viral diseases that generally attack the liver. Although there are vaccines against A and B (and nearly half of America has developed an immunity against A), there is no cure for the disease, though there are treatments to help you deal with the Hepatitis symptoms.how is Hepatitis Transmitted?Hepatitis A is from people either ingesting fecal matter (usually through unwashed hands in unsanitary conditions) or through common contact – sexual contact, contaminated water, sharing needles or consuming undercooked shellfish. This is largely localized to third world countries with poor sanitation, but is still prevalent in some areas of the US. The strain does not cause liver disease, and Hepatitis A symptoms are both mild and short lived – most people believe that once the disease has been caught, the person will have immunity for life, and the disease is very rarely fatal – however, the vaccine is recommended for trips to third world countries.Hepatitis B is contracted via direct contact with bodily fluids. It’s usually caught via sexual contact, shared needles or through child birth. Although a quarter of those contracting chronic Hepatitis B will die from the disease, there is a vaccine to prevent initial infection, and there are medications available for long term sufferers.Hepatitis C occurs via contact with infected human blood. This means that it is typically caught through sharing needles, borrowing razors, infected blood/organ transplants or penetrative sex. As with Hepatitis B, a new born baby can be infected during delivery.what are the Symptoms of Hepatitis?Like many STDs, symptoms of Hepatitis’ three strains may be mild or invisible. if you do feel symptoms, they may be: Itching Dark urine Muscle aches Suppressed appetite Nausea Severe fatigue Flu style symptoms Headaches Jaundice Fever Abdominal Pain if you do feel a combination of these symptoms, you should book Hepatitis testing as soon as possible.what does Hepatitis Testing Involve?Although the Hepatitis testing procedure for each strain is different technically, the purpose and method is the same: a sample of blood is taken from the arm, and then tested to see if the relevant antibody is present. if it is, then the body has been trying to fight the virus, proving an exposure to the virus.what is the Treatment for Hepatitis?The bad news is that there is no cure for any of the forms of Hepatitis. The good news is that all strains of Hepatitis have treatments (or don’t need them) to make living with the virus bearable:Hepatitis A is unnoticeable in many people, and infection guarantees immunity in future. Although there are a small number of cases where the disease has led to death, the majority of people will find that the virus causes immunity and they will never suffer any ill effects again.Hepatitis B has a variety of medicines available to make the disease more manageable for those with a prolonged infection. The drugs significantly lower the chances of liver damage by slowing down the virus or preventing it from reproducing. that said, it is important to keep in regular contact with a doctor to keep an eye on liver damage.Unlike the other strains, Hepatitis C has no vaccine because the virus’ molecular configurations are constantly shifting. Fortunately, like the others there are Hepatitis treatments available to slow the disease and improve the quality of life – usually a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Despite this, sadly some 70% of chronic Hepatitis C sufferers develop serious liver disease.

Hepatitis is a liver disease. it is due to inflammation of the liver. it can be caused by viruses, medications (including complementary herbal medications), alcohol, a person own immunity and others.

A common cause of hepatitis is viral hepatitis. there are many types of viral hepatitis, the common ones are :

Hepatitis A caused by hepatitis A virusHepatitis B caused by hepatitis B virusHepatitis C caused by hepatitis C virusWhat are the warning signs of Hepatitis?

Many people have no symptoms. if symptoms are present they are the same for the different causes of hepatitis.

The symptoms are:

*tiredness *loss of appetite *nausea *vomiting *abdominal pain *yellow discolouration of the white of the eyes, skin *tea-coloured urine *pale or clay-coloured stool

What are the complications of chronic Hepatitis? Hepatitis B and C can be come choric (ie infection persisting for more than 6 months). Chronic Hepatitis can imfalmination cause significant damage to the liver. if the damaged liver is replaced by fibrous tissue, this must lead to severe scarring, the condition is called liver cirrhosis.

Additional symptoms and complications with liver cirrhosis ascites :

*abdominal swelling (ascites) *easy bruising *altered behaviour or alertness (encaphalophaty) *vomiting of blood *passing of black tarry stool *liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) *death

When the cirrhotic liver cannot maintain its function or the above complications become uncontrollable, some patients will need a new liver (liver transplantation).

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The hepatitis C virus is usually detectable in the blood within one to three weeks after infection, and antibodies to the virus are generally detectable within 3 to 12 weeks. Approximately 15-40% of persons infected with HCV clear the virus from their bodies during the acute phase as shown by normalization in liver function tests (LFTs) such as alanine transaminase (ALT) & aspartate transaminase (AST) normalization, as well as plasma HCV-RNA clearance (this is known as spontaneous viral clearance). The remaining 60-85% of patients infected with HCV develops chronic hepatitis C, i.e., infection lasting more than 6 months.

Hepatitis C is one of five currently identified viruses–hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E–all of which can attack and damage the liver. Widely viewed as one of the most serious of the five, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread primarily through contact with infected blood and can cause cirrhosis (irreversible and potentially fatal liver scarring), liver cancer, or liver failure. Hepatitis C is the major reason for liver transplants in the United States, accounting for 1,000 of the procedures annually. The disease is responsible for between 8,000 and 10,000 deaths yearly.

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

At the beginning of an hepatitis C virus infection, only about 25% of patients exhibit the characteristic symptoms of acute (rapid onset) hepatitis. These symptoms include fatigue, muscular aches, poor appetite, and low-grade fever. Rarely, yellowing of the skin and/or eyes (jaundice) also occurs. However, most patients (about 75%) experience minimal or no symptoms at the onset of hepatitis C virus.

Most patients with hepatitis C do not experience symptoms. if they appear at all, symptoms develop about 1 – 2 months after a person is infected. Symptoms of progressive chronic viral hepatitis may be very subtle. In some patients, itchy skin is the first symptom. Overall, fatigue is the most common symptom. many patients do not experience any symptoms at all.

A minority of people have symptoms during the early acute phase of the infection. These symptoms typically develop 5-12 weeks after exposure to HCV. Some people describe the symptoms as being flulike. The symptoms may last a few weeks or months.

If the infection has been present for many years, the liver may be permanently scarred — a condition called cirrhosis. In many cases, there may be no symptoms of the disease until cirrhosis has developed.

Causes of Hepatitis C

A small number of babies born to mothers with hepatitis C acquire the infection during childbirth. Mother-to-infant transmission rates are higher among women infected with both hepatitis C and HIV. Talk with your doctor about these risks before becoming pregnant.

Hepatitis C can cause damage to your liver, even if you don’t have symptoms. You’re also able to pass the virus to others without having any symptoms yourself. That’s why it’s important to be tested if you think

IV drug use appears to be the most common mode of HCV transmission, accounting for 50 percent or more of infections. Sharing drug needles or having received a tattoo from an unclean needle are also risk factors. Sexual transmission is less common than with hepatitis B. Maternal transmission of HCV infection has been demonstrated, but the incidence appears to be low (about 2-5 percent).

Transfusion with infected blood or blood products, hemodialysis, or transplantation of organs from infected donors was once a common mode of transmission but is now rare.

While Hepatitis A is largely only a risk in underdeveloped countries, there are a combined 5.25 million people in America living with Hepatitis B and C. the consequences of not undergoing Hepatitis treatment can be chronic Hepatitis, which can lead to serious liver damage and death. with that in mind, it’s important to understand the truth about Hepatitis…

What is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis A, B and C are viral diseases that generally attack the liver. Although there are vaccines against A and B (and nearly half of America has developed an immunity against A), there is no cure for the disease, though there are treatments to help you deal with the Hepatitis symptoms.

How is Hepatitis Transmitted?

Hepatitis A is from people either ingesting fecal matter (usually through unwashed hands in unsanitary conditions) or through common contact – sexual contact, contaminated water, sharing needles or consuming undercooked shellfish. This is largely localized to third world countries with poor sanitation, but is still prevalent in some areas of the US. the strain does not cause liver disease, and Hepatitis A symptoms are both mild and short lived – most people believe that once the disease has been caught, the person will have immunity for life, and the disease is very rarely fatal – however, the vaccine is recommended for trips to third world countries.

Hepatitis B is contracted via direct contact with bodily fluids. It’s usually caught via sexual contact, shared needles or through child birth. Although a quarter of those contracting chronic Hepatitis B will die from the disease, there is a vaccine to prevent initial infection, and there are medications available for long term sufferers.

Hepatitis C occurs via contact with infected human blood. This means that it is typically caught through sharing needles, borrowing razors, infected blood/organ transplants or penetrative sex. As with Hepatitis B, a new born baby can be infected during delivery.

What are the Symptoms of Hepatitis?

Like many STDs, symptoms of Hepatitis’ three strains may be mild or invisible. if you do feel symptoms, they may be:

? Suppressed appetite

? Flu style symptoms

If you do feel a combination of these symptoms, you should book Hepatitis testing as soon as possible.

What does Hepatitis Testing Involve?

Although the Hepatitis testing procedure for each strain is different technically, the purpose and method is the same: a sample of blood is taken from the arm, and then tested to see if the relevant antibody is present. if it is, then the body has been trying to fight the virus, proving an exposure to the virus.

What is the Treatment for Hepatitis?

The bad news is that there is no cure for any of the forms of Hepatitis. the good news is that all strains of Hepatitis have treatments (or don’t need them) to make living with the virus bearable:

Hepatitis A is unnoticeable in many people, and infection guarantees immunity in future. Although there are a small number of cases where the disease has led to death, the majority of people will find that the virus causes immunity and they will never suffer any ill effects again.

Hepatitis B has a variety of medicines available to make the disease more manageable for those with a prolonged infection. the drugs significantly lower the chances of liver damage by slowing down the virus or preventing it from reproducing. That said, it is important to keep in regular contact with a doctor to keep an eye on liver damage.

Unlike the other strains, Hepatitis C has no vaccine because the virus’ molecular configurations are constantly shifting. Fortunately, like the others there are Hepatitis treatments available to slow the disease and improve the quality of life – usually a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Despite this, sadly some 70% of chronic Hepatitis C sufferers develop serious liver disease.

Hepatitis is a type of viral infections that causes inflammation of the liver because of the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of liver. Hepatitis may heal of it own or it can lead to Fibrosis and Cirrhosis. A group of viruses together known to be Hepatitis Virus along with other infections cause the disease. however due to other various toxins like alcohol and other medications, hepatitis disease can affect a person.

Hepatitis can be acute and chronic. Acute Hepatitis last for 2-6 weeks and generally affects to younger people. The symptoms that would likely to be felt are malaise, muscle and joint aches with high fever, nausea and diarrhoea. if the disease continues then other symptoms like loss of appetite, dark urine, yellow eyes and even jaundice can happen. Hepatitis also can lead to acute liver failure which leads to hepatic encephalopathy and the only cure is a liver transplant.

However, chronic hepatitis leads to symptoms like tiredness and weakness. this can be understood from the blood test report. Extensive damage of liver leads to several dysfunction of the body like weight loss, swelling of the legs and accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.

The common symptoms are:

• Mild fever with joint aches
• Acute nausea and vomiting with eventually loss of appetite
• Diarrhoea
• Jaundice
• Dark urine
• Headache and
• Enlarged spleen accompanied by itching.

The most common type of Hepatitis diseases are:

1.      Hepatitis A: Affects to children and one of the most common disease. The virus spreads through direct face to face directly and contamination from foods, cooking utensils, raw shellfish and from drinking water.

2.      Hepatitis B: it is the most serious form of hepatitis. it spread through sexual contact, blood transfusion or through the blood of infected person blood via cuts and needle sharing. it is considered to be a Sexual Transmitted Disease.

3.      Hepatitis C: It is considered to be a chronic disease and is transmitted by blood contact (contaminated needles and blood transfusion).

4.      Hepatitis D: It can both be acute and chronic. it is found in those people who are carriers of the Hepatitis B virus.

5.      Hepatitis E: is commonly found in the Indian Ocean area. There are two types of non-viral hepatitis called alcoholic hepatitis and toxic/drug induced hepatitis.

The doctor goes through a through medical history and his daily habits like medications and consumptions of alcohol, surgeries and sexual activities. Several tests are done like blood tests and liver panel tests. There are certain other tests like ELISA II, RIBA Ii and RNA test are done. if needed, doctors do a liver biopsy for further testing.

Medicines are available in the markets however self consciousness is needed to solve the problem of hepatitis.

The following can be done to protect oneself from the disease:

1.      Indulge in safe sex

2.      Sharing of needles, razors, toothbrush to be stopped

3.      Limiting of alcohol intake

4.      Wash hands well after using any washroom

5.      Eating of fresh cooked foods

Drink only commercially bottled water or boiled water

Paris (ots/PRNewswire) – Bristol-Myers Squibb announced today that BARACLUDE(R) (entecavir) has been approved by the European Commission on February 28th 2011 to treat chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in adult patients with evidence of decompensated liver disease. BARACLUDE(r) was already approved in Europe in June 2006 for use in adult patients with CHB with compensated liver disease and evidence of active viral replication, persistently elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and histological evidence of active inflammation and/or fibrosis. this approval grants BARACLUDE(r) marketing authorisation in the 27 countries of the European Union. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the decompensated indication for BARACLUDE(r) in October 2010. Decompensated liver disease is characterised by failure of the liver to maintain adequate function, usually due to severe scarring, leading to fibrosis and/or cirrhosis caused by chronic liver inflammation.[1] It represents the end stage of hepatitis. Natural history data demonstrate that up to 40% of patients with CHB develop cirrhosis over their lifetimes, at a reported rate of 2-6% per year.[1] among CHB patients with cirrhosis, 3-5% per year progress to decompensated cirrhosis and 2-5% develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).[2,3] Currently, the median survival rate in decompensated patients is two to three years, with only 28% of patients surviving for more than five years.[1,4] once liver disease progresses to the decompenstated stage, a liver transplant is often necessary. “The approval of this additional indication is an important milestone for CHB patients living with decompensated liver disease, a difficult to treat population whose mortality rates are high,” said Professor Jorg Petersen. “The data used to support this indication shows that BARACLUDE(r) is efficacious in treating decompensated patients.” this approval is based on a randomised, open-label, multi-centre study (ETV-048) that compared the efficacy&safety of BARACLUDE(r) (1.0 mg once daily) with adefovir (10.0 mg once daily) administered in patients with HBeAg positive or negative CHB who had evidence of liver decompensation. Data demonstrated that BARACLUDE(r) showed greater viral suppression compared to adefovir at 24 and 48 weeks following treatment initiation. At 48 weeks, 57% (57/100) of patients treated with BARACLUDE(r) achieved an undetectable viral load (less than or equal to 300 copies/ml) compared to 20% (18/91) of patients on adefovir. ETV-048 Study Results The 048 study evaluated 191 patients who were either HBeAG-positive or HBeAG-negative. Patients were either treatment-naive or had been previously treated excluding pre-treatment with BARACLUDE(r), adefovir or tenofovir. Patients were randomised to receive BARACLUDE(r) (1.0 mg once daily) or adefovir (10.0 mg once daily) and were analysed through 48 weeks. Baseline demographics were similar for both groups. Importantly, at baseline, patients had a mean CPT (child-pugh score) of 8.81 in the BARACLUDE(r) arm and 8.35 in the adefovir arm, and the mean MELD (Model for end stage Liver Disease) score was 17.1 and 15.3, respectively. Both of these parameters measure the severity of hepatic decompensation. The mean age of the study population was 52 years and the majority of the subjects were male (74%) and either Asian (54%) or Caucasian (33%).[5] In the primary efficacy endpoint of mean change from baseline in serum HBV DNA at Week 24, BARACLUDE(r) was superior to adefovir (-4.48 versus -3.40; p < 0.0001). Secondary efficacy endpoints included mean change from baseline in serum HBV DNA at Week 48 (-4.66 in the BARACLUDE(r) arm and -3.90 in the adefovir arm). In addition a greater proportion of patients on BARACLUDE(r) achieved an undetectable viral load compared to patients on adefovir at 48 weeks: 57% (57/100) versus 20% (18/91), respectively. Also patients on the BARACLUDE(r) arm decreased their MELD score from baseline by -2.6% versus -1.7% in the adefovir arm at Week 48, even though baseline MELD score had been higher with 17.1 for BARACLUDE(r) than 15.3 for adefovir. Further the normalization of ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase enzyme) was achieved to a higher proportion in the BARACLUDE(r)-treated patients (less than or equal to 1 x Upper Limit of Normal) at Week 48 [63% (49/78)] compared with adefovir-treated patients [46% (33/71)]. The time to onset of HCC or death was comparable in the two treatment groups; on-study cumulative death rates were 23% (23/102) and 33% (29/89) for patients treated with BARACLUDE(r) and adefovir, respectively; and on-study cumulative rates of HCC were 12% (12/102) and 20% (18/89) for BARACLUDE(r) and adefovir, respectively. BARACLUDE(r) was generally well tolerated and safety results were comparable between the treatment groups and consistent with those previously reported for a population with decompensated liver disease. Serious adverse events occurred in 69% of the BARACLUDE(r) patients and 66% of the adefovirpatientsand discontinuations due to adverse events occurred in 7% of the Baraclude patients and 6 % of the adefovir patients.[5] Important Information about BARACLUDE(r) Discovered at Bristol-Myers Squibb, BARACLUDE(r) is indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in adults with: – Compensated liver disease and evidence of active viral replication, persistently elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and histological evidence of active inflammation and/or fibrosis. – Decompensated liver disease. a higher rate of serious hepatic adverse events (regardless of causality) has been observed in patients with decompensated liver disease, in particular in those with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class C disease, compared with rates in patients with compensated liver function. In addition, patients with decompensated liver disease may be at higher risk for lactic acidosis and specific renal adverse events such as hepatorenal syndrome. Clinical and laboratory parameters should be closely monitored in this patient population. * for full prescribing information for BARACLUDE(r), please consult the Summary of Product Characteristics. about Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) Chronic hepatitis B is a serious global health issue. Worldwide, more than 2 billion people have been in contact with the hepatitis B virus and approximately 350 million people are chronically infected.[6] about Decompensated Liver Disease Decompensated liver disease is characterised by failure of the liver to maintain adequate function, often due to severe scarring leading to fibrosis and/or cirrhosis caused by chronic liver inflammation.[1] Symptoms of liver decompensation can include but are not limited to: jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), ascites (swollen abdomen from abnormal accumulation of fluid), oesophageal varices (distorted blood vessels that may cause potentially fatal bleeding), and hepatic encephalopathy ( neuropsychiatric abnormality resulting in personality changes, intellectual impairment and reduced levels of consciousness).[1] about Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and delivering innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. BARACLUDE(R) (entecavir) is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. References 1. D'Amico G, Garcia-Tsao G, Pagliaro L. Natural history and prognostic indicators of survival in cirrhosis: a systematic review of 118 studies. J. Hepatol. 2006; 44: 217-31. 2. Chu C-M and Liaw Y-F. Hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis: Natural history and treatment. Seminars in Liver Disease 2006;26(2):142-152. 3. Fattovich G, Stroffolini T, Zagni I, Donato F. Hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis: Incidence and risk factors. Gastroenterology 2004;127(5 Suppl 1):S35-S50. 4. Fattovich G, Pantalena M, Zagni I et al. Effect of hepatitis B and C virus infections on the natural history of compensated cirrhosis: a cohort study of 297 patients. Am. J. Gastroenterol. 2002; 97: 2886-95. 5. Y. Liaw, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Entecavir versus Adefovir in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Evidence of Hepatic Decompensation. Abstract and Poster 442. AASLD 2009. 6. World Helath Organization Web site. Fact sheet N- 204. who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/. Accessed 3 December 2010.ots Originaltext: Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH&Co.KG aA Im Internet recherchierbar: presseportal.deContact: Contact: Media: Annie Simond, office: +33-1-58-83-65-66,© 2011 news aktuell

Hepatitis B sufferers and bereaved families who had filed lawsuits at 10 district courts in and after March 2008 for state compensation are holding negotiations with the government for a settlement. But the progress of the talks mediated by courts is hampered by the government’s position that people who have suffered from hepatitis B symptoms for more than 20 years as a result of mass vaccinations have no right to claim compensation because the statutory limit of 20 years has passed.

According to the health and welfare ministry, 1.1 million to 1.4 million people are infected with hepatitis B virus, with 90 percent of them not yet having developed symptoms. up to 440,000 carriers are believed to have been infected through shared needles during mass vaccinations carried out since 1948 under the Preventive Vaccination Law. only in January 1988 did the ministry issue instructions mandating a one-use policy for needles and syringes.

Under the terms of the negotiations, deceased patients and sufferers of liver cancer or serious cirrhosis would receive ¥36 million, sufferers of a mild case of cirrhosis ¥25 million and sufferers of chronic hepatitis B ¥12.5 million. a carrier without symptoms would receive ¥500,000 as “reconciliation money.”

A June 2006 Supreme Court ruling said that the state was responsible for causing hepatitis B infection because of its failure to order local governments to take preventive steps during mass vaccinations such as not reusing needles. the top court ordered the state to pay ¥5.5 million each in compensation to five sufferers.

The government says that it has a separate plan to take some relief measures for people who have suffered from hepatitis B symptoms for more than 20 years. But excluding them from compensation under the court-mediated settlement would be far from an equitable solution. the government estimates that the settlement would cost ¥3.2 trillion over 30 years. This is an enormous amount. It should seek a fair way of raising the necessary funds as part of its social welfare policy.

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A Summary of Social Security Disability Benefits for Viral Hepatitis

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If chronic Hepatitis B or C has rendered you incapable of performing any work, Social Security disability benefits may provide a safety net. Understanding the guidelines for disability will help those truly in need to better work their way through an intensive application process.

While many with chronic Hepatitis B or C are able to prevent their liver disease from progressing to a severe condition, some are not as fortunate. when the symptoms of liver disease are severe enough to prevent Americans from working, they may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) from the U.S. government.

At the end of 2007, over seven million Americans were receiving compensation from Social Security for their inability to earn an income. If the idea of getting a monthly check from the Social Security Administration sounds like a reprieve from your monetary pressures, make certain of your eligibility before applying. Every year for the past 10 years, the percentage of people being approved for SSDI has diminished. in 2007 alone, only 37 percent of the nearly 2.2 million applications for this reward were approved. just like any other nationally sponsored program involving funds, being approved for Social Security benefits requires a lot of effort, paperwork and proof of your problem.

SSDI benefits are paid to totally disabled individuals who have worked and paid into the Social Security system for at least five of the previous 10 years. If approved for SSDI, the Social Security Administration issues a monthly check based upon how much was earned and paid into their system. Benefits are also paid to dependent children who are under 16 years old, or who are under 18 years old and still in high school.

Before proceeding with a claim for SSDI, or even before reading this article in its entirety – understand that all of the negative parts of your illness must emerge and take center stage. It can be challenging to remain positive about your outlook for the future when undertaking the task of highlighting the severity of your disease. with that said, the basics of Social Security disability eligibility for someone with chronic hepatitis are outlined below.

1. Due to a medical condition, the individual is unable to perform the tasks of a job for which he or she is suited.

2. That medical condition either has or will last for at least 12 months or is expected to result in death.

Although these conditions appear to be straightforward, the key to being approved for benefits is supplying irrefutable evidence of your disability. by learning how to best assemble your case for disability, your chances of being approved increase.

Known as the Blue Book, Social Security publishes a list of impairments that qualify for disability benefits. although Hepatitis B or C are not directly listed, the Blue Book includes chronic active hepatitis under the Chronic Liver Disease heading in Section 5.05. however, because the symptoms of hepatitis can significantly vary, Social Security has specific guidelines on how severe the condition must be. Below are some of those details:

· Esophageal Varices – This must be demonstrated by medical imaging with documentation of a massive hemorrhage attributable to these varices or implementation of an esophageal varices shunt.

· Bilirubin – This value must be 2.5 mg per deciliter or greater persisting repeatedly for at least five months.

· Ascites – due to liver disease, ascites must recur or persist for at least five months as proven by abdominal paracentesis or persistent hypoalbuminemia of 3.0 gm per deciliter or less.

· Hepatic Encephalopathy – Physician documentation of how this problem prohibits daily functioning is necessary.

If none of these liver disease complications are applicable, there are some additional SSDI qualifications that may accurately describe your condition. Along with a liver biopsy confirming chronic liver disease (obtained independent of social security disability evaluation), one of these three must be met for SSDI consideration:

1. Ascites – Proven by abdominal paracentesis or persistent hypoalbuminemia of 3.0 gm per deciliter or less, recurrent or persisting for at least three months and not attributable to other causes.

2. Bilirubin – This value must be 2.5 mg per deciliter or greater persisting repeatedly for at least three months.

3. Liver Cell Necrosis or Inflammation – as documented by repeated abnormalities of prothrombin time and enzymes indicative of hepatic dysfunction, this must persist for at least three months.

Recognizing that you may qualify for SSDI is only the first step in an intensive process to receive compensation. Experts who evaluate these claims agree that regardless of the guidelines or illness being appraised, the most important component of any accepted application is medical proof documenting an inability to earn income. This could include documents such as a disability diary, doctor’s notes, records from an alternative healthcare practitioner, medical procedure results, physician letters explaining why you are unable to work and declining performance reviews from your former employer.

Since the Social Security disability program is designed to pay benefits to those suffering from medical problems so severe that they cannot function at any type of work, claimants who are not completely disabled are denied. Thus, the process of applying for and receiving benefits can be harsh and lengthy. however, if you are in the unfortunate position of being completely unable to earn an income due to symptoms from chronic hepatitis, SSDI may be able to offer you some much needed monetary relief.

Editor’s Note: For more information on disability, visit the Social Security Administration’s website at ssa.gov. Or, to read about an explanation of Social Security’s five-step process to determine if a Hepatitis C patient qualifies for SSDI, visit: allsup.com/about-ssdi/ssdi-guidelines-by-disability/hepatitis-c.aspx.

References:

cpmc.org/advanced/liver/patients/topics/ssbenefits.html, Obtaining Social Security Benefits for Patients with Liver Disease, Jeffrey a. Rabin, Esq., Retrieved July 11, 2008, California Pacific Medical Center, 2008.

hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepc/gettingdb.html, getting Disability Benefits under Social Security with HCV, Jacques Chambers, CLU, Retrieved July 11, 2008, Hepatitis C Support Project, 2008.

socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/5.00-Digestive-Adult.htm#5_05, Medical/Professional Relations, Retrieved July 12, 2008, Social Security Administration, 2008.

ssa.gov/OACT/STATS/dibStat.html, Selected Data from Social Security’s Disability Program, Retrieved July 12, 2008, Social Security Administration, 2008.

Posted by Editors at February 16, 2011 11:57 AM

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Particularly at risk are some baby boomers who may have dabbled in intravenous drug use and unprotected sexual contact in their youth – just two of the behaviors that increase the chance of getting hepatitis C.

“About 3 (million) to 4 million people are infected with hepatitis C,” said Dr. Linda Di Teodoro, a physician at a clinic here that specializes in liver and digestive diseases.

Another 3 million Americans are unaware they have the virus that leads to swelling and malfunction of the liver, which cleanses the body of toxins, produces bile to help digest food, stores material for your body to use later and makes other vital substances.

Di Teodoro said the problem is that hepatitis C doesn’t have many symptoms, just a flu-like feeling or fatigue.

Ramon Rodriguez, 48, said he could have lost his life to it. the risk began for him at age 13 when he started using alcohol and drugs and continued for the next 25 years.

“I just kept going and going and couldn’t seek that same euphoria high,” he said. his health problems from the abuse include cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis C.

“the majority of people who develop hepatitis C, about 60 (percent) to 85 percent of them, will develop chronic hepatitis and it does stay with us,” Di Teodoro said

For boomers born between 1946 and 1964, “they were a little more free at that time, and these viruses were not known at that time,” she said. “And people are now becoming aware of it 20, 30 years later.”

She said the key is getting checked by a doctor. Treatments can cure about 45 percent of those infected.

And treatments are on the way that would increase that cure rate to 70 percent. Rodriguez has two months left on his treatment and is already hepatitis C free.

“this is a testimony,” Rodriguez said. “I say today I’m alive by God’s grace only.”

Complications from hepatitis C cause 4,600 to 12,000 deaths a year in the United States. Besides IV drug use, other common transmission risks include getting tattoos with unclean needles and receiving donated blood or organs before 1992.

How often do you think about your liver? The liver is in fact one of the most important organs in the body and we cannot survive without one. Hepatitis is a kind of inflammation of the liver due to the liver being injured. In medical jargon an inflammation that lasts for a period of less than 6 months is termed acute hepatitis. Inflammation that continues beyond the 6 month mark is termed chronic hepatitis.

The causes of liver inflammation have been broadly classified by doctors to form two main categories. There is viral hepatitis and non infectious hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is a very confusing disease and is categorized into five viruses named from Hepatitis A to Hepatitis E. Each of the viruses causes a different type of hepatitis and spreads differently as well. some forms of the disease are infectious as well.

Non infectious hepatitis on the other hand is due to certain chemicals found in alcohol or medication. Then there are other health issues like obesity or genetic disorders among that can cause the disease. This type of hepatitis cannot be spread from one person to another.

Hepatitis C is a very persistent form of the disease, far more so than hepatitis A or B. it is transferred for the most part through blood. it should be clearly understood that it cannot be transferred through casual contact, hugging, sharing food or drink, coughing or sneezing. it can be transferred through sharing drug equipment like needles or tattooing needles that have not been sterilized properly. it can also be transferred during a blood transfusion, sex or other forms of contact with an infected person’s blood.

Strangely enough some people do not have any symptoms when they get infected with the hepatitis C virus despite the fact that it damages the liver. it is possible that the symptoms may emerge at a later stage and can even take months or as long as 20 years to appear. it is also possible that a person can develop the disease and the immune system will work to eradicate it completely without their knowledge.

When the symptoms for hepatitis C do appear, they may include: nausea, vomiting, flu like symptoms, loss of appetite, diarrhea, jaundice, fatigue, itchy skin and pain over the liver, just under the rib cage.

If you suspect that you may have hepatitis C or have been exposed to hepatitis C it is important that you be tested. you can schedule a visit with your doctor to be tested or there are home testing kits available as well which will be a less expensive testing option.