Hepatitis Can’t Wait

 

                           

Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver. It’s commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis. These include autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary injury to liver by medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that occurs when our body makes antibodies against liver tissue.

Our liver is located in the right upper area of your abdomen. It performs many critical functions that affect metabolism throughout our body, including : bile production, which is essential to digestion filtering of toxins from our body, excretion of bilirubin (a product of broken-down red blood cells), cholesterol, hormones, and drugs breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins activation of enzymes, which are specialized proteins essential to body functions storage of glycogen (a form of sugar), minerals, and vitamins (A, D, E, and K) synthesis of blood proteins, such as albumin synthesis of clotting factors

Treatment of hepatitis options vary depending on type of hepatitis. Some forms of hepatitis can be prevented through immunizations and lifestyle precautions.

There are 5 types of viral hepatitis. Viral infections of the liver that are classified as hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. A different virus is responsible for each type of virally transmitted hepatitis.

Hepatitis A is always an acute, short-term disease, while hepatitis B, C, and D are most likely to become ongoing and chronic. Hepatitis E is usually acute but can be particularly dangerous in pregnant women.

Hepatitis A 

Hepatitis A is caused by an infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). This type of hepatitis is most commonly transmitted by consuming food or water contaminated by feces from a person infected with hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B  

Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with infectious body fluids, such as blood, vaginal secretions, or semen, containing the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Injection drug use, having sex with an infected partner, or sharing razors with an infected person increase your risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis C 

Hepatitis C comes from the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct contact with infected body fluids, typically through injection drug use and sexual contact. HCV is among the most common bloodborne viral infections in the United States.

Hepatitis D 

It is also called delta hepatitis. Hepatitis D is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV). HDV is contracted through direct contact with infected blood. Hepatitis D is a rare form of hepatitis that only occurs in conjunction with hepatitis B infection. The hepatitis D virus can’t multiply without the presence of hepatitis B. 

Hepatitis E 

Hepatitis E is a waterborne disease caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hepatitis E is mainly found in areas with poor sanitation and typically results from ingesting fecal matter that contaminates the water supply.

Prevention 

Hepatitis A and E are easily preventable by implementation of food water and hand hygienic practices. While hepatitis B, C and D can be prevented by strict adherance to blood and needle safety pratices and appropriate waste disposal. Creating awareness about the disease is the need of the hour to save precious lives and reduce irreparable liver damage.

References 

Association of physicians of India textbook of medicine, 11th edition Whofactsheet https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis

Dr. Ketaki Utpat, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai