Hepatitis          

Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver. It can be acute hepatitis where inflammation of liver is less than 6 months and chronic hepatitis where inflammation is longer than 6 months.

Causes of Hepatitis

• Virus - This is most commonly seen hepatitis. There are 5 types of Hepatitis virus - A, B, C, D and E. Hepatitis A and E is caused by intake of contaminated food and water while hepatitis B, C and D are caused due to close contact to infected body fluids.
• Excess use of alcohol.
• Certain drugs like Tuberculosis drugs.

Commom Signs and Symptoms of Hepatitis

• Fever
• Loss of appetite,
• Nausea and vomiting
• Jaundice - yellow discoloration of skin.
• Dark- yellow coloured urine.
• Pain in abdomen especially on right side of abdomen.

Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)
HAV is a small RNA virus acute, self limiting disorder. It rarely causes severe liver damage.

Transmission of Virus - It is transmitted by fecal-oral route. It is usually transmitted due to unhygienic conditions. Ex -If the infected person without washing his hands touches the food the virus is transmitted to that food and the same food is touched by other family members and thus virus get transmitted.
Also commonly seen transmitted from contaminated water and eating raw shell fish.

Signs and Symptoms

• Most of the time symptoms are not recognized and not clearly seen.
• Mild fever, loss of appetite and weakness will be present.
• It is self limiting disease which means it shows vague symptoms and symptoms disappear on its own. Hence it is not the severe disease.

Prevention of HAV

• Maintain proper food and personal hygiene.
• Vaccination is available against HAV which will help to prevent hepatitis.
• Avoid indulging yourself in illicit drug use as the use of same syringe by many drug users causes high risk of hepatitis.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
HBV is DNA virus.

Transmission of HBV
HBV is commonly transmitted by use of non-sterile needles as needles are shared during illicit use of drugs, during vaccination or when tattoo is applied.
Spread through fluids like saliva, breast milk, urine, stool, vaginal fluids, seminal fluid etc.
Sexual transmission seen both in heterosexual and homosexuals.
Virus is transmitted through mother to child if mother is infected with HBV during the delivery.
Blood transfusion - This is rarely seen in developed countries as blood is properly screened prior the transmission.

Signs and Symptoms

• HBV is more serious and severe than HAV.
• The symptoms are usually mild to severe.
• Jaundice and dark colored urine.
• Loss of appetite, weakness and fever.
• Itching, skin rashes and joint pains are commonly seen in people infected with HBV.
• HBV has chance of turning into chronic hepatitis.

Prevention of HBV

• High risk people should avoid sharing needles and sex with same partners or infected partner.
• Avoid unnecessary blood transfusion.
• Vaccination against HBV is recommended to all the infants after birth.

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
HCV causes acute and chronic hepatitis. Acute hepatitis caused by HCV is very mild than HBV.

Transmission of HCV
Very commonly transmitted among the people who use shared needles for drugs and body piercing.
Sexual transmission is also common.
Transmission through blood is rarely seen.
Transmitted from mother to child during delivery.
Commonly seen in alcoholics without specific cause.

Signs and Symptoms

• The common symptoms are seen but in milder form.
• Hepatitis C is commonly associated with chronic hepatitis.

Prevention of HCV

• Currently vaccine is not available against HCV. So prevention is the important way to avoid getting hepatitis C.
• Avoid sharing needles and body piercing.
• Avoid unnecessary blood transfusion.

Hepatitis D Virus (HDV)
HDV is caused by unique RNA virus which is replication defective. It means this virus is genetic dependent and causes hepatitis in the presence of HBV only.

Transmission of HDV
Transmitted parentally due to sharing unsterilized needles.
Sexual transmission is less likely than HBV.

Signs and Symptoms of HDV

• Hepatitis D occurs with Hepatitis B and hence it makes the symptoms of hepatitis B more worse.

Prevention of HDV

• Prevention is same as HBV like avoid sharing needles and sexual contacts.
• Vaccination against Hepatitis B provide protection against Hepatitis D.

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV)
Hepatitis E is RNA virus. HEV shares the features of HAV and hence their symptoms and transmission are similar. Hepatitis E is usually acute form of hepatitis and does not become chronic.

Transmission of HEV
Water-borne disease as epidemics are transmitted due to water contamination by stools.

Sign and Symptoms

• Acute symptoms of hepatitis is commonly seen.
• Symptoms are less severe than other form. Symptoms become severe in pregnant women.

Prevention of HEV

• Maintain good hygienic conditions.
• Drink boiled and filtered water to reduce the contamination.

Treatment of Hepatitis

• The symptomatic treatment is required as there is no specific treatment for hepatitis.
• Diet - Avoid too spicy and fatty food. Eat bland and nutritious food.
• Some people has very low appetite and goes into dehydration. In such people intravenous fluids are recommended.
• Ayurvedic medicines like Liv 52 is usually useful in hepatitis treatment.
• If the patient has severe hepatitis where liver goes into failure then liver transplantation is the only treatment.