Viral hepatitis

What is viral hepatitis?

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Infection with certain viruses is a common cause of hepatitis. The viruses that most frequently cause this condition are the hepatitis viruses A to E.

All of the viruses can cause an acute (short-term) illness. Occasionally some can go on to cause chronic (long-term) infection.
Chronic hepatitis can lead to liver damage, with scarring, liver failure and an increased risk of liver cancer.

Fortunately, there are medications that you can have, either during the acute illness or in chronic hepatitis, that can help manage or even cure the disease.

If you are worried that you might have caught one of the hepatitis viruses, or are living with chronic hepatitis, our specialists from the London Liver Group can help you understand and manage your condition.

Causes

Viral hepatitis is usually caused by the hepatitis viruses. The different types of virus named A to E can be caught in different ways, and do not have the same chance of going on to cause long-term problems.

• Hepatitis A
  Hepatitis A is spread through contact with an infected person’s stool, usually by contamination of food or water, but also through close personal contact when they are ill.

  People usually recover from hepatitis A with no long-term consequences, and it does not go on to cause chronic disease. Rarely, it can cause acute liver failure.

• Hepatitis B
  Hepatitis B can be spread by contact with bodily fluids, such as during sex, or through contaminated needles. It can also be passed from mother to child during birth.

  Hepatitis B causes an acute infection. Most healthy adults and children fight off this infection. 

  Only about 5% of adults go on to develop chronic hepatitis B. Younger children are at greater risk, with 25-50% of one- to five-year-olds and 90% of infants going on to get chronic hepatitis B after an acute infection.

• Hepatitis C
  Hepatitis C is spread by bodily fluids, such as using contaminated needles, or sexual contact. While hepatitis C can cause an acute illness, 75-85% of people go on to develop chronic infection.
• Hepatitis D
  Hepatitis D is a rarer virus. It is unusual as it can only infect people who are also infected with hepatitis B.
• Hepatitis E
  Hepatitis E virus spreads through contaminated water or meat. It usually causes an acute illness, with chronic infection only occurring in those with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms

Many people have no symptoms during an acute hepatitis infection.

If you have symptoms, they can include:

•    Tiredness
•    Fever
•    Nausea and vomiting
•    Aching joints
•    Abdominal pain
•    Yellowed eyes and skin, known as jaundice
•    Dark yellow urine

Rarely during acute hepatitis, liver failure can occur which may need a liver transplant. Chronic hepatitis does not usually cause symptoms until complications develop. Chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis (liver scarring), liver failure, and an increased risk of liver cancer.

Diagnosis

Your specialist will ask a series of detailed questions about your medical history, both to see if you are at risk of hepatitis infection, and to see if you describe any symptoms of acute or chronic disease. Your specialist will also examine you to look for signs of liver problems.

The next step is often blood tests. These will look for evidence of damage to your liver and also reveal if you are infected with one of the hepatitis viruses.

Your specialist may opt to organise specialised scans to look for damage from chronic infection.

Treatments

• Vaccination
  Vaccines are available for the hepatitis A and B viruses. Your specialist will discuss if they feel this is right for you.
• Antivirals
  Your specialist may suggest anti-viral treatment particularly if you have chronic hepatitis B or C, especially if there is evidence of liver damage
• Prevention
  The best way to avoid the complications of hepatitis is to avoid catching it. This can mean not using contaminated needles, practising safe sex, and avoiding potentially contaminated food and water.