Show Hepatitis Two Types Identified I 1 Mention Australia and many people visualize a land filled with kangaroos and koala BUT FOR medical it is a reminder that a substance in the blood of an Australian aborigine gave the first clue to a cause of viral Discovered in this substance now known as Australia antigen was not related to hepatitis until Further study showed it to be a particle associated with hepatitis one of two forms of this IDENTIFICATION of a hepatitis virus or viruses has not yet been meaning of the or occurs in two hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The liver is the organ primarily affected in both within each symptoms vary- with yellowed eyes and skin occurs in some but not all hepatitis In children jaundice is absent and other symptoms are These include loss of muscle and-for smokers-loss of taste for SYMPTOMS last from a few days to several The treatment for hepatitis is bed rest and a nutritious Liver especially should be Convalescence is slow and a physician's supervision is ONE ATTACK of either form seems to provide protection against future infections of only that Hepatitis A agent is usually the stools of infected individuals and is spread by direct contact or through contaminated food or drinking HEPATITIS B can be transmitted by transfusion of blood from an infected It can also be spread by drug users sharing a common by tattooing or ear-piercing and even by close contact with hepatitis At the best methods of prevention and control involve stringent public health measures and strict supervision of blood and blood products for human BUT scientists believe that a vaccine would give more effective Discovery of the association of Australia antigen with hepatitis B has renewed activity in this In pursuing its long range goal-an effective immunization program against hepatitis B-the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious a component of the National Institutes of is currently supporting various research THESE include efforts to isolate the development of animal models and establishment of a reference laboratory as well as evaluating the use of gamma-globulin from persons who have recovered from hepatitis B in treating individuals who have come in contact with the it is hoped that vaccines against both forms of hepatitis can be In the scientists continue to work on better methods of including detection of infected WHILE NEW discoveries offer control of hepatitis is stilt very much in the |