Your liver is the largest organ of your body. The liver helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. It is an inflammation of the liver.
Viruses cause most cases of hepatitis. The virus that causes it names the type of hepatitis, such as hepatitis A, B, or C. Drug or alcohol use can also cause hepatitis. In other cases, your body mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the liver.
Some people who have hepatitis have no symptoms. Others may have
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dark-colored urine and pale bowel movements
- Stomach pain
- Jaundice, yellowing of skin and eyes
Some forms of hepatitis are mild, and others can be serious. Some can lead to scarring, called cirrhosis, or to liver cancer.
Hepatitis B
The hepatitis B virus affects the liver, causing inflammation, but it often doesn’t produce noticeable symptoms. Hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer if not detected and managed by a healthcare professional.
Direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids, like blood-to-blood or sexual contact, is the primary mode of transmission. Mother-to-child transmission during birth, and rarely via breast milk, can also occur. Individuals with hepatitis B should ensure family members, sexual partners, and household contacts are tested and vaccinated to prevent transmission. If you have hepatitis B, practice safe sex with condoms and avoid sharing razors, needles, or nail clippers. Taking these precautions is crucial to protect others from the virus and reduce the risk of transmission.
Saliva contains hepatitis B, but sharing household items like cups, knives, and forks does not transmit it to others. It’s, therefore, safe to share these items.
Treatment of Hepatitis B
Many people with hepatitis B don’t need treatment, they just require monitoring. Medical professionals typically conduct a blood test and, in some cases, a scan every 6 months. Some people will clear the virus spontaneously themselves. This usually happens within 6 months of infection if it is going to happen). However, it is often a long-term (chronic) condition that sometimes requires lifelong management. Treatment is typically a tablet once a day which has few if any, side effects.
Hepatitis C
Many consider HCV a “silent killer.” Although doctors can detect it in the blood as early as 1-3 weeks after exposure, patients may not exhibit any symptoms of this deadly disease for years, even decades. Chronic HCV infection develops in 70–85% of infected persons, 60–70% of whom display evidence of liver disease.
Symptoms
Roughly 20–30% of newly infected patients will experience fatigue, abdominal pain, poor appetite, or jaundice. While chronic liver disease in HCV-infected patients progresses slowly, other symptoms that should trigger further investigation include joint pain, fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, nausea, and vomiting. Again, with any type of “silent” disease, symptoms may be mild and less likely to prompt a visit to a doctor.
Transmission
The hepatitis C virus primarily spreads through contact with infectious blood, often via individuals who have injected drugs, even if it was a one-time occurrence many years ago. Additionally, improved screening procedures have significantly reduced the rarity of contracting HCV through donated blood, blood products, and donated organs. Furthermore, healthcare settings experience needle-stick injuries, and on another note, mother-to-child transmission happens when the pregnant mother is infected with HCV.
Less frequently, HCV can spread through engaging in unprotected sex with an HCV-infected person or sharing personal items like toothbrushes, razors, and tools for tattooing or body piercing, which may be contaminated with infectious blood. Some invasive medical procedures may also be responsible, although this is rare. Contrary to popular belief, breastfeeding, sneezing/coughing, and hugging do not transmit the virus, and it is not spread through food and water.
Diagnosis
An anti-HCV test detects the presence of antibodies to the virus, but it can’t tell the difference between an active or previous HCV infection. To confirm a weakly positive result, an HCV RNA test should be ordered to confirm the presence of the Hepatitis C virus.
Treatment
People with hepatitis C should receive vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B since there’s no vaccine available for the hepatitis C virus.
As of late Directly acting antivirals (DAA’s) against HCV have turned out to be broadly accessible and they have a fantastic fix rate. Doctors prescribe oral tablets for 12-24 weeks as the treatment.
In conclusion, hepatitis, caused by various viral strains, presents a complex health challenge. It is imperative to raise awareness and encourage preventive measures. Hepatitis A and B vaccines offer effective protection. Additionally, timely diagnosis and medical management are essential for the patients. Improved screening procedures have reduced the risk of HCV transmission through blood products, and healthcare settings are implementing safety measures to prevent needle-stick injuries. Mother-to-child transmission is a rare concern when the pregnant mother is infected with HCV. In the fight against hepatitis, public education, vaccination, and improved healthcare practices are vital steps forward.
