Hepatitis in combination with HIV
The HI-Virus does not basically attack the liver cells. However, if an infectious hepatitis occurs, the therapy must be adapted to each other. This is important because some drugs used in HIV infection can have a toxic effect on the liver.
The combination of the two diseases is usually associated with drug abuse, which can promote the two infections by splitting the injection equipment. It can also be observed that HIV infection together with hepatitis C infection has a higher virus concentration in the various transmission pathways, so that there is an increased probability of transmission. This is especially the case in the transmission of a pregnant woman to the unborn child.
Hepatitis in pregnancy
A hepatitis infection during pregnancy should always be clarified as a precautionary measure. This means that mothers from endangered areas or living conditions should be examined for a possible infection.In hepatitis B and D, this plays an important role, because it is particularly important in the case of an existing infection to keep the virus concentration as low as possible through drug therapy in order to avoid transmission to the child during birth. As a prophylaxis, the child is also vaccinated immediately after birth.
A hepatitis A infection can be prevented in advance by a vaccination. In addition, certain nutritional instructions should be observed, such as not to eat raw animal food and to enjoy water in endangered areas only sufficiently boiled (“Cook it, peel it or leave it!”). Prevention of hepatitis A infection is particularly important, since infections of this type can take a particularly serious course in pregnancy in up to 20% of cases, which can become life-threatening for mother and child.
Hepatitis C infection usually has a low risk of transmission to the child, so no change in delivery strategy is required. Breastfeeding is not necessary either, as here too transmission is considered unlikely.
