Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by one of several different viruses. Symptoms typically include a poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever, and jaundice. Hepatitis A is a common infection that spreads through contact with food or water contaminated with fecal matter from an infected person’s stool (fecal-oral transmission). This condition can be life-threatening, but vaccines can protect against it. Hepatitis A is caused by a virus called the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It can be spread through the fecal-oral route, when someone eats or drinks food that has been contaminated with small amounts of stool from an infected person.
HAV can also be spread through injection drug use, sex, travel to areas with high hepatitis A infection rates, and living in poor sanitary conditions. It is especially common among people who live in crowded, unsanitary places. Symptoms usually start 2 to 6 weeks after you get infected and can include fever, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), joint pain, or light- or gray-colored stools (poop). Most people who have hepatitis A recover quickly and don't have lasting liver damage. Hepatitis B is caused by a virus called the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). There is a vaccine that helps prevent infection with this virus. Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the liver, which can lead to scarring and damage. It can also cause liver failure and cancer. People can get hepatitis B through contact with the blood or body fluids of someone with the disease. The virus can also be passed from mother to child during birth if the mother is infected. Symptoms of acute hepatitis may not appear until 1 to 6 months after you catch it, but they can include yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, and dark urine. Most children and adults who have acute hepatitis recover without treatment and do not develop chronic hepatitis. Those who do have chronic hepatitis will need regular blood tests to make sure the infection is controlled. They may also need hepatitis B immune globulin and a vaccine. Hepatitis C is a viral illness caused by a virus called the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is one of the most common bloodborne viruses and can lead to liver disease, including severe inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis. Unlike most other viral infections, which cause symptoms that you might notice, with hepatitis C, you may not know you have it until it is too late. It can take years to develop a chronic hepatitis C infection, which can lead to liver damage and even liver cancer. Most people who get hepatitis C have no symptoms at all during the first 6 months of infection, which is called acute hepatitis C. Within this period, up to 20% of people who have acute hepatitis C clear the virus spontaneously and do not develop chronic hepatitis C. Treatments for hepatitis C include medicines that can help your body clear the virus and prevent liver damage from occurring. Your healthcare professional will use a blood test to find out which hepatitis C genotype, or strain, you have and then prescribe the most appropriate medications. Hepatitis D is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. It is usually caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV), but it can also be caused by hepatitis B. The hepatitis D virus is not transmitted by direct contact with blood or body fluids, although it can be spread from person to person through sharing drug paraphernalia and other risky behaviors. Hepatitis D is rare in the United States, but it can cause a serious infection that can lead to liver cancer or death. Doctors make a diagnosis of hepatitis D based on symptoms, a physical exam, and blood tests. They may also ask questions about your medical history and risk factors for hepatitis D. Hepatitis D is the most severe type of hepatitis and can cause lifelong liver damage and even death. It is rare in the United States, but it is more common in people who travel to countries with high rates of the hepatitis D virus.
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