"Hepatitis" is a general term that simply means "inflammation of the liver". It's quite a few different causes, of which viral hepatitis is probably the most well-known, and can be acute or chronic, with consequences ranging from nothing more serious than a mild illness from which someone recovers fully, all the way to death.
1. Hepatitis comes in many different 'flavors' — what are they?
Viral hepatitis can be caused by:
- Hepatitis A, a virus spread through contact with the feces of infected people or by eating or drinking contaminated food and water. Hepatitis A is self-limiting and doesn't result in chronic infections. Most people recover within two months.
- Hepatitis B, a virus transmitted through contact with blood and other bodily fluids, like saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions. Hepatitis B spreads in the same way as HIV, but is much, much more contagious. It can be acute or chronic, and in some cases fatal.
- Hepatitis C, a blood-borne infection that is slightly less contagious, but certainly no less deadly, with large numbers of infected people developing a chronic form.
- Hepatitis D is the least common member of the viral hepatitis family, but don't let that fool you — it's also the deadliest. This unusual hepatitis is actually a virosoid that needs hepatitis B to replicate. That means that, although it spreads in the same way as hep B, you can't get it unless you're infected with hepatitis B at the same time, or were already infected with it previously.
- Hepatitis E is another hepatitis virus primarily spread through contaminated food and water, which again tends to cause a self-limiting illness.
Viruses aren't the only causes of hepatitis, however. Liver damage can also be induced by medications ranging from over-the-counter painkillers to steroids and birth control pills (drug-induced hepatitis), and even herbal supplements can cause hepatitis in some cases. Drinking too much can famously cause alcoholic hepatitis, and there's also such a thing as autoimmune hepatitis, in which your own body's immune system wages war on your liver cells.
2. What are the symptoms of hepatitis?
Since all kinds of hepatitis affect the liver, they cause similar symptoms, too.
Acute hepatitis can represent a short-term illness that then resolves, or it can be a nasty "stepping stone" on the way to chronic hepatitis. It often causes no noticeable symptoms, or ones so non-specific that you won't be too worried. Acute hepatitis can, however, lead to:
- Joint and muscle aches.
- General fatigue.
- A bit of a fever.
- Feeling nauseous, and in some cases vomiting.
- Loss of appetite.
- Abdominal pain.
- Some symptoms that do a better job of warning you that you may be dealing with hepatitis include pale, clay-colored bowel movements, dark urine, itchy skin, and jaundice — a characteristic yellowing of the eyes and skin, which can be mild to severe.
Chronic hepatitis can lead to more severe symptoms like jaundice, swelling (edema) in your lower limbs, blood in your stool or vomit, ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen) and confusion. It may also fail to show itself in obvious ways until complications, like liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis set in.
Fulminant hepatitis is an extremely fast deterioration of the liver that can cause liver failure within days to weeks. It can result from both viral hepatitis and non-infectious kinds of hepatitis — after a paracetamol overdose or if you eat a poisonous mushroom, for instance.
3. What can you do to prevent hepatitis?
This depends on the kind of hepatitis we're talking about — but tips that will definitely do your general health some good, as well as reducing your risk of viral hepatitis, include:
- Wash your hands often and properly. Use safe drinking water. Wash salads well and with clean water, and cook meat thoroughly, before eating them.
- Practice safe sex.
- Do not share personal care items that may contain traces of blood, such as razors and toothbrushes.
- Never get a tattoo or piercing in an unsanitary environment. Though licensed medical facilities, including dental clinics, usually practice meticulous hygiene, you should be aware of the possibility that you may be exposed to blood-borne infections at unlicensed clinics or those in countries with lax or poorly-enforced regulations, as well. Blood transfusions can still pose a risk in some countries.
- Do not use IV drugs, but if you do, use sterile equipment and never share it with others.
Though these common-sense steps will help reduce your risk of viral hepatitis and other adverse health outcomes, they do not keep everyone safe. Healthcare workers, for instance, have a heightened risk of needlestick injuries that may transmit viral hepatitis, and babies whose infected mothers pass hepatitis onto them are unable to take preventative measures.
While autoimmune hepatitis cannot be prevented, people can commit to drinking moderately and responsibly, to prevent alcoholic hepatitis. They can also consult their doctor or pharmacist in detail before using any kind of medication or supplement.
If you believe you could have already been exposed to viral hepatitis, let your doctor know right away, and get tested. The earlier you are aware that you are living with hepatitis, the better the prognosis generally is.
- Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth