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| | Title: | What is Viral Hepatitis? | | Article: |
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.
Viruses cause viral hepatitis.
Hepatitis A caused by the hepatitis A virus. The
disease spreads through contaminated food and water.
Rarely, infected blood is the cause. You are more at
risk in the areas where hepatitis A is common. To
prevent the hepatitis A, a vaccine is developed. Even
more important is to avoid tap water and follow
personal hygiene. Hepatitis A usually goes away on its
own.
Hepatitis B is caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV)/ It
may lead to chronic infection and cirrhosis (scarring
of the liver). Ultimate complications are liver cancer
and death.
Hepatitis B spreads by infected blood or through sex
and from pregnant mother to child.
You are at risk if you have sex with an infected
person, share needles for injection, care for infected
person (meaning that you may have contact with blood
products, e.g. health care workers). Also people who
got blood transfusions before 1993, when the blood was
not tested, are at risk.
Several hepatitis B vaccines are developed to prevent
the disease. Many health care workers require having
such a vaccination.
Hepatitis B is treated with alpha interferon, and
pegilated forms of interferon (they are bound to PEG
molecule). Lamivudine, adefovir, dipivoxil,
nucleosides may also be used.
Acute hepatitis B usually goes away on its own.
Chronic cases lead to cirrhosis and death eventually.
Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV)
from infected blood. HCV spreads by contact with the
blood. Sexual contact and childbirth may spread HCV as
well.
Injection needle sharing, sex with an infected person,
health care job, being baby of infected mother are the
risk factors.
The vaccine for hepatitis C is still in development.
Avoiding sharing drug needles or personal items like
toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers with an infected
person are the precaution measures.
Chronic hepatitis C is treated with peginterferon and
ribavirin. New therapies are still in research at
present.
Hepatitis D is caused by the hepatitis D virus, a
defective virus that infects hepatitis B patients.
Hepatitis D spreads through contact with infected
blood.
To prevent hepatitis D you basically need to prevent
hepatitis B first. Avoid contact with infected blood,
contaminated sharpies, toothbrushes, razors. Chronic
hepatitis D requires alpha interferon therapy.
Hepatitis E is caused by the hepatitis E virus. It is
similar to hepatitis A virus.
Hepatitis E spreads through contaminated food, water
and feces. There is no vaccine for hepatitis E.
Practice safe hygiene to avoid the disease.
Hepatitis can be acute or chronic. Chronic hepatitis
is caused by hepatitis B, C, and D viruses.
Other viruses may also cause hepatitis but they they
are rare.
Symptoms of Hepatitis include:
*Yellowing of the skin and eyes (Jaundice)
*Fatigue
*Abdominal pain
*Loss of appetite
*Nausea
*Vomiting
*Diarrhea
*Low grade fever
*Headache
*Feeling as if you have flu.
*You might feel tired
*Stomach sickness
*Fever
*Loss of appetite
*Dark yellow urine
*Lightly colored stools
*Discomfort or tenderness on the right side
*muscle and joint aches
Some people don't have any symptoms.
The liver is enlarged and tender.
| | Author: | Aleksandr Kavokin, MD, PhD | | System: | Liver | | Subject: | Hepatitis | | Abstract: |
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.
Viruses cause viral hepatitis. | | Website: | www.kavokin.com | | Time: | 20:38 | | Reference: | www.rdoctor.com | | Reference 2: | |
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Articles by Aleksandr Kavokin, MD, PhD
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