Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver, which may often progress to dangerous complications. There are many types of Hepatitis and each has its own particular set of causes, symptoms, mode of contraction and treatment procedures.

Types of Hepatitis

• Hepatitis A:Hepatitis A virus infection causes this condition and is commonly seen in children. The Hepatitis A virus comes from food or water contaminated with the faeces of someone infected with Hepatitis A. This is not a chronic form of Hepatitis.
• Hepatitis B:This is a chronic form of Hepatitis. It is spread through body fluid, such as blood, saliva and semen. The possible causes of Hepatitis B include use of drugs through injections, having sex with an infected partner and sharing razors or other intimate articles with someone who is infected. In India, the most common cause of transmission is from infected mother to baby.
• Hepatitis C:This is also a chronic form of Hepatitis. The most common causes of Hepatitis C are injection drug use or transfusion of blood products infected with the virus.
• Hepatitis D:This virus is transmitted only to patients infected with Hepatitis B virus. It is usually caused due to puncture wounds or contact with infected blood.
• Hepatitis E:This is the most common form of Hepatitis in adults. It is due to poor sanitation and ingesting food or water contaminated with the faeces of someone infected with Hepatitis E. It is usually found in developing countries. Hepatitis E is usually self-limited, but may cause fulminant liver disease in some cases. Pregnant females when infected with HEV, particularly in 2nd or 3rd trimester, are associated with high mortality rates.

What is acute hepatitis?

When the liver inflammation occurs rapidly and lasts for less than six months, it is known as ‘acute’ hepatitis. It usually manifests within days to weeks. The predominant symptom of acute hepatitis is jaundice (yellowish discolouration of eyes and urine) which is usually preceded by nausea, vomiting, malaise, fever and loss of appetite (prodromal symptoms). Most often acute hepatitis recovers fully after resolution of the inflammation. In rare cases, acute hepatitis may progress to acute liver failure which may be life threatening.

What is chronic hepatitis?

When the inflammation of liver lasts for more than six months (usually months to years), it is called as ‘chronic’ hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis is often asymptomatic early in its course and is detected only by liver laboratory studies for screening purposes or to evaluate non-specific symptoms. As the inflammation progresses, patients can develop constitutional symptoms similar to acute hepatitis, including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, and joint pain. If left untreated, the chronic hepatitis may also cause some permanent damage to the liver that may progress to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Jaundice occurs typically in advanced disease.

Here are some things you can do in order to prevent viral hepatitis

• Avoid consuming contaminated food and water - Maintaining proper hygiene is very important in order to prevent viral hepatitis. Especially if you are living in or travelling to a developing country, you must avoid drinking local water, eating raw fruits and vegetables without washing them, having seafood or having ice.
• Avert contamination of blood - In order to prevent viral hepatitis due to blood contamination, sharing of razors, sharing of drug needles must be avoided. Using somebody else's toothbrush must also be avoided. Spilled blood should not be touched by anyone. It can become a cause of viral hepatitis in him/her due to blood contamination.
• Vaccinate yourself - For Hepatitis A and B, vaccines have been developed. You can safeguard yourself from these forms of hepatitis by vaccinating yourself. However, for Hepatitis C, D, and E, vaccines are yet to be developed.