Hepatitis: All You Need To Know About Hepatitis.

Hepatitis: All You Need To Know About Hepatitis.

What Is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver. It’s commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis. These includes autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins and alcohol. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that occurs when your body makes antibodies against your liver tissue.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), approximately 4.4 million Americans are currently living with chronic hepatitis B and C. Many more people don’t even know that they have hepatitis. The 5 types of viral hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. Hepatitis A is always an acute, short term disease while hepatitis B, C, D are mostly likely to become ongoing and chronic. Hepatitis E is usually acute but can be particularly dangerous in pregnant women.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is caused by an infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). This type of hepatitis is most commonly transmitted by consuming food or water contaminated by faeces from a person infected with hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with infectious body fluids, such as blood, vaginal secretions, or semen, containing the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and from mother to child during birth. Injection drug use, having sex with an infected person increase the risk of getting hepatitis B. Overall, hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. It is estimated by the CDC that 1.2 million people in the United States and 350 million people worldwide live with this chronic disease.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C comes from the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct contact with infected body fluids, typically through injection drug use and sexual contact. HCV is among the most common blood borne viral infections in the United States. Approximately 2.7 to 3.9 million Americans are currently living with a chronic form of this infection.

Hepatitis D

Also called delta hepatitis, hepatitis D is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV). HDV is contracted through direct contact with infected blood. Hepatitis D is a rare form of hepatitis that only occurs in conjunction with hepatitis B infection. The hepatitis D virus can’t multiply without the presence of hepatitis B.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is a water borne disease caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hepatitis E is mainly found in areas with poor sanitation and typically results from ingesting faecal matter that contaminates the water supply.

This disease is uncommon in the United States. However, cases of Hepatitis E have been reported in the Middle East, Asia, Central America and Africa, according to the CDC.

SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS 

Hepatitis may occur with limited or no symptoms. Symptoms are usually nonspecific. Hepatitis is acute when it last less than six months and chronic when it persist longer. Acute hepatitis B infection could present with fatigue, fever, headache, joint aches, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Chronic hepatitis B patients have signs related to liver failure such as Ascites (swelling of the abdomen), peripheral oedema (swelling of the leg), abnormal bleeding and Hepatic encephalopathy (changing mental status) as the disease progresses. A person with no symptoms may remain infected for many years and can spread the infection.

TREATMENT

There is no specific treatment for acute infection, however treatment is mainly supportive. Chronic hepatitis B can sometimes be treated with interferon and antiviral agents.

COMPLICATIONS

Complications include chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, Liver failure, Liver Cancer and death.

PREVENTION

Hepatitis B is prevented by immunization using Hep B vaccine or pentavalent vaccine. Transmission of the disease during perinatal (around the time of birth) or post natal (during the early days of life) period is an important cause of chronic infections globally, hence all infants should receive their first dose of Hep B0 as soon as possible (less than 24 hours) after birth and up to 2 weeks. Subsequent doses are given as penta vaccine (at 6, 10 and 14 weeks). People who recover completely from acute hepatitis B have lifelong immunity.

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