Hepatitis: Types, Symptoms, Causes & Prevention

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition that refers to inflammation of the liver caused by excess exposure to alcohol, infection, toxins, or immune diseases.  The liver is a vital organ that filters blood, processes nutrients, and fights infections. When your liver is damaged, it will function properly.

Hepatitis can either be a short-term or long-term infection. The most common types of hepatitis are hepatitis A, B, and C. You should know that some types of hepatitis only cause short-term infections and other types cause both short and long-term infections.

All the viral forms of hepatitis are caused by viruses. There are other causes of hepatitis, like autoimmune hepatitis that occurs as a result of toxins, drugs, alcohol, and medications.

Hepatitis can be treated depending on the type of hepatitis you have. Hepatitis can be treated through lifestyle changes and immunizations.

5 Types of Viral Hepatitis

There are different types of hepatitis and causes, but their symptoms can be similar. Hepatitis infections are classified as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.

For hepatitis A, it is a short-term infection, while hepatitis B, C, and D are long-term infections. Hepatitis E is an acute infection that is dangerous in pregnant women.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by hepatitis A virus. This virus is found in the blood or stool of infected individuals. Most people recover from hepatitis A with immunizations and maintaining good hygiene.

Besides, hepatitis A has symptoms that last up to 2 months and they include nausea, stomach pain, fatigue, jaundice, dark urine, and loss of appetite.

The risk factors for hepatitis A infection are lack of safe water and poor hygiene. Luckily, there are safe vaccines that prevent hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable infection that causes damage to your liver and it causes both long-term and short-term diseases. Most individuals with hepatitis B are at a higher risk of liver cancer, liver failure, or liver cirrhosis.

The virus is mainly transmitted from mother to child during birth. Still, it can be transmitted through contact with blood, semen, unsafe injections, or sharp instruments.

According to WHO, it is estimated that 296 million people lived with long-term hepatitis B in 2019, and 1.5 million people get the infection each year.

In another research by WHO, hepatitis B claimed an estimated 820, 000 lives, from primary liver cancer and liver cirrhosis.

Luckily, hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccines that are safe and effective.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is an infection caused by hepatitis C virus. This infection causes inflammation of the liver and serious damage. It occurs through exposure to blood from unsafe health care, unsafe sexual practices, unsafe injection practices, and unscreened blood transfusion.

According to WHO, it is estimated that 58 million people live with chronic hepatitis C and over 1.5 million infections emerge every day globally.

Still, WHO found that in 2019, an estimated 290, 000 deaths occurred from people with hepatitis C, mostly those with cirrhosis.

At the moment, there is no effective vaccine for this infection, but anti-viral medicines can cure the infection. If not treated, chronic hepatitis C leads to permanent liver damage.

Hepatitis D

This infection is also known as delta hepatitis. Hepatitis D is a critical liver disease caused by hepatitis D virus. If you have chronic hepatitis B, you can easily get hepatitis D.

The infection occurs when one becomes infected with hepatitis B and D simultaneously or when one gets hepatitis D virus after being infected with hepatitis B. This combination can lead to kidney damage or liver cirrhosis.

Always know that hepatitis D infection cannot multiply when there is no hepatitis B. Hepatitis D has severe symptoms and illness that leads to chronic liver damage or death. At the moment, there is no treatment for hepatitis B.

However, hepatitis B virus vaccination will largely protect you from hepatitis D virus.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is a waterborne disease that causes liver inflammation and it is caused by hepatitis E virus. It is found in areas with poor sanitation and it results from the fecal-oral route and water contamination.

This infection is worldwide, but it is common in East and South Asia. According to WHO, hepatitis E claimed 44, 000 deaths in 2015 due to poor sanitation and water contamination.

There is a vaccine that has been developed in China to cure hepatitis E, but it is not available elsewhere.

Common Symptoms of Hepatitis

If your hepatitis infection is chronic, like hepatitis B and C, symptoms are not present. The symptoms occur later when the damage affects your liver.

The main signs and symptoms of hepatitis include:

  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Joint pain
  • Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
  • Joint pain
  • Pale stool and dark urine
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Flu-like symptoms.

When your infection is acute, the symptoms will start between 2 weeks to 6 months later after you are infected. If the infection is chronic, you may not notice symptoms until serious damage is caused to your liver.

How is Hepatitis Diagnosed?

To diagnose hepatitis, your doctor will need to perform some tests. The tests include:

Medical History & Physical Examination

For your doctor to diagnose hepatitis, they will need to know more about your medical history. This will help them determine your risk factors for hepatitis. When it comes to the physical examination, doctors press your abdomen gently to see if there is tenderness or pain.

If your eyes and skin are yellow, your doctor will notice this and that can be a sign of liver disease. But your doctor will tell you more during the examination.

Blood Tests

If your liver is not working normally, there will be many abnormalities in the blood test results. However, if the liver function is normal, other blood tests can be conducted to main the main cause of your problem.

The checks are meant to check for hepatitis viruses. Still, they can check for antibodies common in conditions like autoimmune hepatitis.

Liver Biopsy

In a liver biopsy test, doctors take a sample of your liver tissue and examine it under a microscope. A liver biopsy test doesn’t require surgery and it is harmless. An ultrasound is used to guide your doctor when taking the biopsy sample. This test helps your doctor determine how the infection has affected your liver.

Ultrasound

An ultrasound test helps your doctor take a close look at your liver and close organs. This test uses ultrasound waves to create an image of organs in the abdomen. An ultrasound test can reveal abnormalities in the gallbladder, excess fluid in the abdomen, liver tumors, and liver damage.

Therefore, this test is ideal to help your doctor determine the cause of your liver abnormalities.

Liver Tests

In liver tests, blood samples are used to determine how well your liver functions. If there are abnormal results, this is the first sign there is a problem in your liver. Besides, high enzyme levels may suggest your liver is damaged or not working well.

Prevention of Hepatitis

Many ways can help prevent or lower the risk for hepatitis. For example, taking alcohol in moderation or quitting it can prevent alcoholic hepatitis. Still, there are safe and effective vaccines for hepatitis A and B.

Here are two tips that can prevent hepatitis.

Maintaining Good Hygiene

One of the best ways to avoid contracting hepatitis A and E is maintaining good hygiene. If you live in a developing country or just travelled there, you should avoid:

  • Raw fruits and vegetables
  • Ice
  • Local water
  • Undercooked oaters and shellfish

For hepatitis B, C, and D that happens through blood contamination, it can be prevented by:

  • Not sharing drug needles
  • Avoid sharing razors
  • Don’t touch spilled blood 
  • Avoid sharing a toothbrush.

For hepatitis B and C, it can be prevented by practicing safe sex. People who are used to sex toys should avoid sharing them to prevent the infection.

Vaccination

Vaccines can help prevent hepatitis and reduce the risk of getting other forms of hepatitis. Vaccines are only available for hepatitis A and B. Currently, experts are putting in a lot of effort developing hepatitis C vaccines. There is a vaccination for hepatitis E but doesn’t exist anywhere globally except in China.

Complications of Hepatitis

There are multiple complications that can be caused by chronic hepatitis B and C because their viruses affect the liver and cause more damage. Individuals with chronic hepatitis B and C are at a higher risk of:

When irreversible damage is caused to the liver, liver failure occurs and this becomes life-threatening. Some of the liver failure complications include:

  • Kidney failure
  • Bleeding disorders
  • Increased blood pressure in portal veins that enter the liver (portal hypertension)
  • Ascites (build-up of fluid in the abdomen)
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Liver cancer
  • Death.

If you have chronic hepatitis B and C, you should avoid alcohol at all costs. Excess alcohol consumption accelerates liver disease and liver failure. You should also look out for medications because some of them affect the liver function.

For instance, people with long-term hepatitis B and C must get advice from doctors before taking medications.

Who is at a Higher Risk of Getting Hepatitis?

People with a higher risk of getting hepatitis include:

  • Those with multiple sex partners
  • Gay men
  • If you share needles or piercings
  • Excessive alcohol drinkers
  • Receiving chronic kidney dialysis
  • Travel to areas with poor sanitation or you live in a developing country
  • Those who practice unprotected sex.

In a nutshell, hepatitis A and E only cause acute infections that the body can fight. The other types (B, C, and D) cause acute infections, but they might cause chronic infections. Recovering from hepatitis is possible though it can take months for your liver to recover fully.

To ensure fast liver damage recovery, practice good hygiene and quit alcohol consumption.

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