Which one the following is infectious Hepatitis?

RRB Staff Nurse Kolkata-2015

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Staff Nurse Kolkata-2015

Explanation

Hepatitis A is classically known as 'infectious hepatitis'.
This name is derived from its primary mode of transmission, the fecal-oral route, which makes it highly contagious, especially in areas with poor sanitation.
The virus is shed in the feces of infected individuals and can contaminate food, water, or surfaces, leading to widespread outbreaks.
Unlike other hepatitis types, Hepatitis A does not cause chronic liver disease.

Option B: Hepatitis B is known as 'serum hepatitis', not 'infectious hepatitis'. The term 'serum' refers to its transmission through blood and other body fluids (parenterally), not the fecal-oral route.
Option C: Hepatitis C was historically known as 'non-A, non-B hepatitis'. It is primarily a blood-borne virus.
Option D: Hepatitis D is known as 'delta hepatitis'. It is a defective or satellite virus that can only infect individuals who are already infected with Hepatitis B.

Visual 1: Flowchart: Transmission routes of Hepatitis A, B, C, and D. This would visually separate the fecal-oral route of Hepatitis A from the parenteral/sexual routes of the others.
Visual 2: Infographic: Comparing the key characteristics (common name, transmission, chronicity, prevention) of the different hepatitis viruses in a table format.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification and nomenclature of Hepatitis viruses as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the different transmission routes is critical for nursing practice, especially for implementing appropriate infection control measures (e.g., contact precautions for Hep. A, standard precautions for others).
Patient education is a key nursing role. For Hepatitis A, nurses must emphasize hand hygiene, safe food and water practices, and vaccination for at-risk individuals.
What if? If a patient in a long-term care facility is diagnosed with Hepatitis A, the nurse's priority action would be to implement contact precautions and collaborate with public health to manage a potential outbreak, including post-exposure prophylaxis for other residents and staff. This differs from managing a case of Hepatitis B or C, which would focus on blood and body fluid precautions.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core term in the question: 'infectious Hepatitis'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of the common nomenclature for different types of viral hepatitis.
Recall the classical names associated with each hepatitis virus: Hepatitis A is 'infectious hepatitis', and Hepatitis B is 'serum hepatitis'.
Associate 'infectious' with the highly contagious fecal-oral route, which is characteristic of Hepatitis A.
Evaluate the options based on this knowledge. Hep. A directly matches the term 'infectious hepatitis'.
Confirm your answer by recalling that the other options have different names and primary transmission routes (parenteral/blood-borne).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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