Hepatitis
Hepatitis means ‘liver inflammation’. It is caused by a virus. Several types of hepatitis virus can infect the liver, but the most common are the hepatitis A, B and C viruses.
Types of Hepatitis
Hepatitis can be categorized as either acute or chronic.
Acute Hepatitis
Acute Hepatitis occurs suddenly or gradually, but in either case, it is short-lived, usually lasting less than two months. For someone with acute Hepatitis, liver damage is usually mild.
On rare occasions, acute Hepatitis can be fatal. In some circumstances, acute Hepatitis can progress to chronic Hepatitis.
Chronic Hepatitis
Chronic Hepatitis persists for long periods of time and is
classified as either chronic persistent or chronic acute.
Chronic persistent Hepatitis is usually mild and progresses
slowly. However, it can become more severe, progressing
to chronic acute Hepatitis. As liver damage becomes more
extensive and severe, chronic acute Hepatitis can cause
cirrhosis, most often resulting in liver failure and even death.
Viral causes of Hepatitis
There are seven viruses that are known to cause Hepatitis.
These are designated by the letters A to G. However, the
cause of some Hepatitis is still unknown, leading scientists
to believe that there are other viruses that have yet to be
discovered.
The three most common viral forms of Hepatitis are:
· Hepatitis A (see below)
· Hepatitis B (click here for Hep B page)
· Hepatitis C (click here for Hep C page)
The other forms of Hepatitis – D, E, F, and G - are very rare.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is the least dangerous form of Hepatitis.
It is most common in developing countries.
How it is transmitted
Hepatitis A is caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). If someone is infected with Hepatitis A, then this virus is present in their faeces, but not in their blood or saliva.
If you get feces containing the virus in your mouth, the virus can be passed to you. It does not matter how small that amount is: even tiny amounts of feces that you cannot see can still be enough to pass on HAV.
Anyone can get infected by handling a condom that has been used for anal sex or by eating food prepared by someone with the virus who has not washed their hands after using the bathroom.
Symptoms
Hepatitis A can affect people in different ways. Symptoms
generally start to appear two to six weeks after a person gets
infected, and can easily be mistaken for the effects of the flu.
A person can also suffer from:
· Aches and pains
· Exhaustion
· Fever
· Headaches
· Loss of appetite
· Diarrhea
· Sickness
· Abdominal pains
A person with Hepatitis A may also get jaundice, which makes the whites of the eyes and skin go yellow, the urine go dark and feces turn pale.
Recovery
Almost everyone recovers completely from Hepatitis A and
most people feel better after just a few weeks. But you can feel
tired for months afterwards and may need time off work to recover.
People with Hepatitis A are advised to get plenty of rest and to eat
well. While you are recovering, you should avoid alcohol, recreational
drugs, fatty foods and excessive exercise.
It is unlikely that anyone who has Hepatitis A will suffer any long-
term liver damage. However, a very small number of people do develop
long-term liver problems.
Prevention
People who recover from Hepatitis A acquire immunity to the virus. As the body can recover by itself from the virus, it is usually not treated.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdhepa.shtml