Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a family of viral diseases that cause liver infections.Three primary types of hepatitis exist. The virus-based infections include hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Each virus has a different level of severity, symptoms and treatment options with hepatitis A being the mildest infection and hepatitis C being the most serious.

While hepatitis A is generally mild and short-term, it is estimated that around 1.2 million people in the United States are battling chronic hepatitis B and 3.2 million are fighting hepatitis C. More than 85,000 new cases of Hepatitis are diagnosed yearly according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/

Hepatitis A is the most common type of hepatitis. It is caused by a virus and almost always goes away on its own.

Hepatitis A is most commonly spread through food and water. The virus can be found in the stool of an infected person. Another person becomes infected by eating food that came in contact with the infected stool. The disease is spread when the infected person does not wash his or her hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and then prepares food.

Individuals should avoid eating raw oysters, wash their hands frequently and avoid drinking tap water when traveling internationally. http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepa-guide/hepatitis-a-topic-overview

Hepatitis B also affects the liver and is more serious form of hepatitis than hepatitis A. It is called acute hepatitis B. Severity can range from a mild illness with a duration of a few weeks to a long-term, permanent illness.http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/index.htm

Hepatitis B is spread through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. The most common ways of contracting it are through having sex without using a condom, sharing needles, getting a tattoo or a piercing from tools that were not cleaned properly, or sharing a razor or toothbrush with an infected person.

The virus can be spread to a baby from an infected mother during birth http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/hepatitis-b-topic-overview

Hepatitis C is also caused by a virus. It infects the liver and can cause permanent damage to the liver, cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. Many people are unaware that they have Hepatitis C until there is already some liver damage. The acute form of Hepatitis C is short-term in duration, while the chronic form results in a life-long medical condition that can even cause death.http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/index.htm

Hepatitis C is generally spread via sharing blood of an infected person through needles. It is most often associated with street drug use, or unsanitary tattooing. Prior to 1992, individual could contract Hepatitis C from receiving tainted blood or an organ transplant. After 1992, blood screening eliminated this transmission method.http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/index.htm

It has not been confirmed if you can contract hepatitis C through sexual contact but if so, the experts feel it is a very small risk. http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepc-guide/hepatitis-c-topic-overview

All types of the hepatitis disease have similar symptoms.

It can take up to seven weeks for you to see any signs or symptoms of the hepatitis disease. Some of the more common symptoms include fatigue, nausea, feeling hungry, losing weight, pain on the right side of the belly and under the rib cage, fever and sore muscles. If you are an older person you may also notice a yellowish tinge to your skin (jaundice), and dark urine.http://www.who.int/topics/hepatitis/en/

The hepatitis disease is diagnosed via a blood test. The blood test will see if your liver is inflamed and to see if there are antibodies for the virus.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-c/DS00097/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have hepatitis, please consult your doctor.