What Is Viral Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation or infection of the liver. Viral hepatitis is a viral infection of the liver, that causes liver inflammation and damage organ. Inflammation is swelling, occurs when tissues become injured or infected.
Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver caused by hepatitis A, B, C, D, E viruses.
Get details of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
Viral hepatitis is a diseased condition in which inflammation of the liver occurs due to a viral infection. It may present in acute form and can progress in chronic form.
Viral Hepatitis Causative Agent
Hepatitis A Causative Agent – Hepatitis A Virus
Hepatitis B Causative Agent – Hepatitis B Virus
Hepatitis C Causative Agent – Hepatitis C Virus
Hepatitis D Causative Agent – Hepatitis D Virus
Hepatitis E Causative Agent – Hepatitis E Virus
Hepatitis A
Causative agent; Hepatitis A virus (HAV) (RNA virus)
Hepatitis A is a virus found in human faeces (poop). The virus is transmitted when an uninfected person consumes contaminated food or water with the faeces of an infected person.
Checkout here signs and symptoms of Hepatitis A
Mode of Transmission
1. By faecal-oral route
Hepatitis A vaccine is a vaccine that prevents hepatitis A infection.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B infection is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the HBV (hepatitis B virus), DNA virus. Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from a person infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the person who is not infected.
Mode of Transmission
1. Parenteral route
2. Perinatal transmission
3. Sexual route
4. Person to person contact
Know the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all infants at birth, for children up to age 18, and adults at high risk of infection.
Hepatitis C
Causative agent; Hepatitis C virus (HCV) (RNA virus)
This infection is more commonly transmitted through use of contaminated needles used to inject drugs and unclean needles (through skin puncture).
Hepatitis C usually only spreads through blood-to-blood contact, spread when blood from a person is infected with the Hepatitis C virus.
Source of Infection
1. Blood, semen, or other body fluids from an infected person
2. Sexual contact
3. Sharing needles, syringes
4. Needlestick injury
5. Drug-injection equipment
6. Infected mother to child at birth (spread from mother-to-child during birth)
7. Receiving a blood transfusion or organ transplant
Know the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis C
Note- Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccination, but not hepatitis C. No vaccine is available for hepatitis C.
Hepatitis D
Hepatitis D, also called delta hepatitis. Hepatitis D is a liver infection; liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV). Humans are the reservoir for hepatitis D infection.
Causative agent – Hepatitis D virus (HDV)
Hepatitis D infection only occurs in individual who are infected with the hepatitis B virus.
Source of infection
Contact with Blood, or other body fluids such as semen, vaginal fluid, or saliva of an infected person
Hepatitis B vaccines provide protection from Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection means hepatitis B vaccine protects against future hepatitis D infection.
Clinical Manifestation of Hepatitis D
The signs of HDV include –
1. Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
2. Stomach upset
3. Abdominal pain
4. Fatigue
5. Joint pain
6. Dark urine
7. Light-colored stool
8. Loss of appetite
9. Nausea Vomiting
Risk Factors of Hepatitis D
1. Infected with hepatitis B
2. Inject drugs
3. Sexual activity with someone who has hepatitis B or D
4. Have “coinfection” both HIV and hepatitis B
Hepatitis D Causes
People can get HDV if come into contact with infected people’s blood or other body fluid. HDV infects only if people have hepatitis B.
HDV can happen two ways –
Co-infection: contract with HBV and HDV at the same time
Super-infection: sick with hepatitis B first, then later contract with HDV. HBV is the most common way to get hepatitis D.
Hepatitis D Prevention
There is No vaccine available that can prevent HDV.
The best way to avoid the risk of getting hepatitis B.
Avoid contact with hepatitis infected person’s blood or other body fluids.
Hepatitis E
Hepatitis E is a liver disease, infection caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Humans and animals both are the reservoir for hepatitis E infection.
Hepatitis E (enteric hepatitis) – Causative agent; Hepatitis E virus (HEV) (RNA virus) (enteric means – related to the intestines)
Source of infection
HEV is shed in the stool of an infected person. It is spread when people unknowingly ingests the virus from drinking water contaminated by feces from people who are infected with the virus.
The most common source of HEV infection is ingesting contaminated drinking water.
Mode of Transmission
1. Faeco-oral route
2. Waterborne transmission
3. Foodborne transmission
Clinical Manifestation of Hepatitis E
Signs and symptoms of Hepatitis D may progress to acute liver failure. If left untreated, long-lasting infection causes severe liver damage or liver failure.
Symptoms may include –
1. Mild fever
2. Reduced appetite (anorexia)
3. Nausea
4. Jaundice
Treatment
There is No specific treatment exists for hepatitis E. Treatment done by providing supportive care, rehydration and rest. Provide supportive care to reduce the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis E.
In most cases of hepatitis E, the liver heals within six months with no lasting damage.
What is Non-Viral Hepatitis?
Non-viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can cause scarring on the liver (cirrhosis), liver cancer, liver failure and death.
Types of Non-Viral Hepatitis
There are three types of non-viral hepatitis-
1. Toxic hepatitis
Toxic hepatitis can be caused by exposure to chemicals, drugs, alcohol, and toxins.
Toxic hepatitis lead to Acute non-viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that occurs suddenly and can lead to liver failure.
An overdose of acetaminophen drug can cause failure of liver.
2. Alcoholic hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis is caused by drinking too much alcohol, which harms and can damage the liver.
3. Autoimmune hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitisis caused by the immune system attacking the liver organ, causing inflammation, liver scarring, liver cancer, and liver failure.
Symptoms of Non-Viral Hepatitis
Symptoms of toxic hepatitis can appear within hours, days or months of exposure toxic substance and signs may include-
1. Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
2. Abdominal pain
3. Dark-colored urine
4. Nausea and vomiting
5. Pruritus – Itching and rash
6. Fatigue
7. Loss of appetite
