Hepatitis

Hepatitis is caused by a family of viruses - such as A, B and C - that affect the liver and reduce its ability to function. One of the largest and most important body organs, the liver makes and regulates many of the body's chemicals and helps break down and eliminate drugs, toxins and others poisonous substances from the blood. When it's infected, it becomes swollen, painful and doesn't work properly which means that poisons - which would otherwise be processed by the liver - build up in the bloodstream. Recovery can take many months and the consequences of hepatitis can be serious, cause long-term damage and in some cases liver failure. (Hepatitis can also be caused by the side-effects of some medical drugs, overdosing on some drugs eg paracetamol, and long-term alcohol abuse - which put the liver under great strain). Vaccination Unlike the majority of STIs, Hepatitis A and B are preventable through vaccination. So with few exceptions you can virtually eliminate getting it in the first place, and it's difficult to understand why so many gay men who know about it don't bother. If you're gay and sexually active, it's essential!

How you get it and symptoms

Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is most commonly associated with poor toilet hygiene and contaminated food and water although you get it from rimming, scat, and kissing. While some people don't get any symptoms at all, they usually occur two to eight weeks after infection and include diarrhoea, loss of appetite, aches and pains, pale slimy shits, dark coloured piss and a yellowing or jaundice of the skin and eyes. Although very unpleasant, hepatitis A is rarely serious and the body usually fights off the infection within a few weeks, though some symptoms may persist for up to six months. Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is much more serious than hepatitis A and can cause long-term liver damage. In a minority of cases, this can cause chronic liver damage leading to death. You can get hepatitis B from unprotected fucking and shared dildos, oral sex, watersports (if the piss gets into the eyes and mouth) and rimming. In fact, it's a bit of an all rounder which is why vaccination is essential! Most people experience no symptoms but have a period of illness up to six months after infection. These include tiredness, jaundice, dark coloured piss, pale slimy shits, stomach pains and itching. The majority of people recover fully although a small percentage remain carriers of the virus and can pass it on to others and run the risk of problems later on. Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is on the increase. Identified just over a decade ago, it is more serious than either A or B and like hepatitis B can cause liver disease and death in the longer term. Hepatitis C is much harder to transmit than A, B, or HIV and most infected people are injecting drug users, recipients of blood transfusions, or have fucked, sucked or rimmed without protection. However, unlike HIV, hepatitis C has a tough outer coating and can remain active for several weeks on shared personal items like toothbrushes and razors. Treatment and recovery There is no treatment for hepatitis A and B and so the key to recovery is resting sufficiently to allow the body to overcome the virus and get the liver working properly again. This can take several weeks, in some cases months. Your recovery plan should include:

Plenty of rest.

No alcohol.

No fatty, rich or spicy foods.

No recreational drugs including dope and tobacco. This may seem strict but if you don't stick to it the liver won't get the rest it needs to recover and you are likely to get sick again. Treatment for hepatitis C is more complicated and in addition to the above, a drug called interferon alfa is sometimes given which can reduce the amount of the virus and halt or slow down damage to the liver. This online advice guide is an extract from the book TOGETHER, by kind permission of Patriic Gayle and Gay Times Books. The book itself is over 300 pages long and contains:

several chapters more useful advice and information

more in-depth information in some chapters

more pictures and tables

further contacts at the end of each chapter

a comprehensive listing of gay and health organisations Described by Qx magazine as a 'Gay Bible', Together Book is a practical reference work no bookshelf should be without.

Available from Prowler Stores and all good bookshops, or click the link below for price and ordering details.

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