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An inflammation of the liver is known as hepatitis. The liver is a crucial organ that filters blood, processes nutrients and fights infections. The function of the liver can be impacted by inflammation or injury, which is brought on mainly by viruses and other agents like chemicals, drugs, some medical disorders, and heavy alcohol consumption.
Hepatitis can be chronic, which is a long-term condition that typically causes more modest symptoms and increases liver damage, or acute, which spreads quickly and then goes away.
Types of Hepatitis
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Hepatitis A
Its causative agent is the hepatitis A virus. It is mainly caused by contaminated food and water.
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Hepatitis B
Its causative agent is the HBV virus. It is caused by transmission from humans to humans during sexual intercourse and contamination of blood and other objects.
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Hepatitis C
Its causative agent is the VHC virus, which is mainly caused by the consumption of toxic substances such as alcohol, drugs, etc.
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Hepatitis D
It is transmitted due to contact with HCV in body fluids. To know more, visit our gastroenterology hospital in Vijayawada.
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Hepatitis E
It is caused by transmission from animals to humans and is mostly transmitted due to consumption of raw or insufficient pork.
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Chronic Hepatitis
It is a long-term liver inflammation that frequently follows acute hepatitis. The severity of chronic hepatitis increases with the potential for cirrhosis or liver cancer to progress. Remember that hepatitis can also be caused by other viruses, like the herpes virus or the cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Who is at Risk of Getting Hepatitis?
The hazards vary depending on the type of hepatitis. For instance, with most viral varieties, unprotected intercourse increases the risk. Heavy drinkers who consume alcohol on a regular basis are at risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis.
Symptoms of Hepatitis
Some hepatitis patients have no symptoms and are unaware of their infection.Symptoms that you or someone you know may experience include:
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Fever
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Fatigue
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Loss of appetite
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Nausea and vomiting
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Abdominal pain
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Dark urine
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Clay-coloured bowel movements.
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Joint pain
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Jaundice
Consult with an experienced gastroenterologist in Vijayawada if you are experiencing above-mentioned symptoms.
Transmission of Hepatitis
Depending on the virus involved, hepatitis can be spread through sexual contact, bodily secretions like saliva, ingested faeces for hepatitis A, or blood contamination for other hepatitis.
Diagnosis of Hepatitis
Appropriate diagnosis is recommended by the healthcare provider and involves:
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History and physical examination.
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Liver function tests
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Other blood tests
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Liver biopsy
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Ultrasound
Treatment of Hepatitis
The types of hepatitis have different treatments, which depend on whether the infection is chronic or not.
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Hepatitis A
It does not require any specific treatment. If the symptoms result in severe discomfort, bed rest is recommended. If symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea are observed in the patient, the doctors recommend a dietary programme to maintain hydration and nutrition.
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Hepatitis B
This hepatitis type has no specific treatment plan. However, one may need to take antiviral drugs if they have chronic hepatitis B. Given that one could need to use this sort of treatment for several months or even years, it can be expensive. Regular medical assessments and monitoring are necessary as part of the treatment for hepatitis B to see how the virus is responding to the medication.
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Hepatitis C
It can be treated with antiviral drugs in both acute and chronic forms. People with this type of hepatitis C frequently combine antiviral medication therapies. To determine the best course of treatment, they might also require additional testing. A liver transplant may be an option for those who develop cirrhosis or other forms of liver disease as a result of chronic hepatitis C.
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Hepatitis D
Pegylated interferon alpha is a hepatitis D therapy that is approved by the WHO. The adverse effects of this medicine, however, can be very bad. As a result, it is not advised for those who have autoimmune disorders, mental conditions, or liver damage from cirrhosis.
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Hepatitis E
It is not currently being treated with any particular medical treatments. The infection frequently disappears on its own since it is so acute. People with this infection are typically advised by doctors to get enough rest, drink plenty of fluids, eat enough nutrients, and abstain from alcohol. However, close observation and care are necessary for pregnant women who contract this infection.
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Autoimmune Hepatitis
Prednisone and budesonide are two important corticosteroids in the early management of autoimmune hepatitis. Treatment plans could also include the immune system suppressant medication azathioprine (Imuran). This can be used with or without steroids. Azathioprine can be replaced with other immune-suppressing medications like mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (Prograf), and cyclosporine (Neoral).
Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences
Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada
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