multi class comparison
Hepatitis Types: A vs B vs C — Transmission, Chronicity, Prevention
Picking the wrong transmission precaution or telling a Hep A patient they need lifelong monitoring wastes resources and spikes anxiety. The NCLEX expects you to match each hepatitis type to its route, chronicity risk, and prevention strategy.
Comparison
Side-by-side3 compared
Comparevs
Dimension
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Transmission & risk
- ★Fecal-oral: contaminated food/water, shellfish
- Incubation 15–50 days (avg 28)
- Blood, body fluids, sexual, perinatal
- Incubation 45–180 days (avg 120)
- Blood-to-blood: needles, pre-1992 transfusion
- Incubation 14–180 days (avg 45)
Chronicity & course
- ★Never becomes chronic; self-limiting
- Acute: fatigue, jaundice, RUQ pain
- Chronic in ~5–10% of adults
- Chronic in ~90% of neonates
- ★Chronic in ~75–85% — highest of three
- Often silent until liver damage
Serology markers
- Acute: IgM anti-HAV
- Immunity: IgG anti-HAV
- Acute: HBsAg + IgM anti-HBc
- Immunity: anti-HBs ≥10 mIU/mL
- Anti-HCV antibody + HCV RNA
- No immunity marker — reinfection possible
Isolation & precautions
- Contact precautions; enteric focus
- Strict hand hygiene after toileting
- Standard precautions
- Blood/body-fluid exposure protocol
- Standard precautions
- Blood/body-fluid exposure protocol
Treatment
- Acute: supportive care
- Self-limiting; no chronic state
- Acute: supportive care
- Chronic: antivirals (entecavir, tenofovir)
- Direct-acting antivirals (sofosbuvir)
- >95% cure rate
Teaching & prevention
- Hand hygiene; vaccine 2-dose series
- Exposed: immune globulin within 2 wks
- No sharing razors; condoms; vaccine 3-dose
- Exposed: HBIG + vaccine within 24 hr
- ★No vaccine — avoid bloodborne exposure
- No needle sharing; abstain alcohol; LFT monitor
Red flags — escalate
- Fulminant failure rare; watch confusion, ↑INR
- Highest acute liver-failure risk
- Encephalopathy, asterixis, ↑INR → ICU
- Acute failure rare; chronic damage is risk
Complications
- Rare fulminant hepatitis; full recovery typical
- Cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma
- Cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma
Transmission & risk
Hepatitis A
- ★Fecal-oral: contaminated food/water, shellfish
- Incubation 15–50 days (avg 28)
Hepatitis B
- Blood, body fluids, sexual, perinatal
- Incubation 45–180 days (avg 120)
Chronicity & course
Hepatitis A
- ★Never becomes chronic; self-limiting
- Acute: fatigue, jaundice, RUQ pain
Hepatitis B
- Chronic in ~5–10% of adults
- Chronic in ~90% of neonates
Serology markers
Hepatitis A
- Acute: IgM anti-HAV
- Immunity: IgG anti-HAV
Hepatitis B
- Acute: HBsAg + IgM anti-HBc
- Immunity: anti-HBs ≥10 mIU/mL
Isolation & precautions
Hepatitis A
- Contact precautions; enteric focus
- Strict hand hygiene after toileting
Hepatitis B
- Standard precautions
- Blood/body-fluid exposure protocol
Treatment
Hepatitis A
- Acute: supportive care
- Self-limiting; no chronic state
Hepatitis B
- Acute: supportive care
- Chronic: antivirals (entecavir, tenofovir)
Teaching & prevention
Hepatitis A
- Hand hygiene; vaccine 2-dose series
- Exposed: immune globulin within 2 wks
Hepatitis B
- No sharing razors; condoms; vaccine 3-dose
- Exposed: HBIG + vaccine within 24 hr
Red flags — escalate
Hepatitis A
- Fulminant failure rare; watch confusion, ↑INR
Hepatitis B
- Highest acute liver-failure risk
- Encephalopathy, asterixis, ↑INR → ICU
Complications
Hepatitis A
- Rare fulminant hepatitis; full recovery typical
Hepatitis B
- Cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma
★ marks the fact that sets a column apart.
Clinical Pearl
A = Ass (fecal-oral, never chronic). B = Blood + Baby + vaccine. C = Chronic + Curable, no vaccine.
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