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Hepatitis (Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver that results from a…
Hepatitis
Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver that results from a variety of causes, both infectious and noninfectious.
nfectious agents that cause hepatitis include viruses and parasites
Noninfectious causes include certain drugs and toxic agents
In some instances hepatitis results from an autoimmune reaction directed against the liver cells of the body
The signs and symptoms of acute viral hepatitis result from damage to the liver and are similar regardless of the hepatitis virus responsible.
Patients may experience a flulike illness, and general symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue
. Sometimes jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes, will develop.
The acute symptomatic phase of viral hepatitis usually lasts from a few days to several weeks
the period of jaundice that may follow can persist from one to three weeks.
Complications of acute viral hepatitis include fulminant hepatitis, which is a very severe
rapidly developing form of the disease that results in severe liver failure, impaired
kidney function, difficulty in the clotting of blood, and marked changes in neurological function
Such patients rapidly become comatose; mortality is as high as 90 percent
Another complication is chronic hepatitis, which is characterized by liver cell death and inflammation over a period greater than six months.
Viral Causes
Most cases of hepatitis are caused by viral infection. The viruses that give rise to liver inflammation include
The term viral hepatitis, however, usually is applied only to those cases of liver disease caused by the hepatitis viruses.
There are seven known hepatitis viruses, which are labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Hepatitis A, E, and F viruses are transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water
the spread of these agents is aggravated by crowded conditions and poor sanitation. The B, C, D, and G viruses are transmitted mainly by blood or bodily fluids
Hepatitis A, caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), is the most common worldwide
The onset of hepatitis A usually occurs 15 to 45 days after exposure to the virus, and some infected individuals, especially children, exhibit no clinical manifestations
In the majority of cases, no special treatment other than bed rest is required; most recover fully from the disease
A does not give rise to chronic hepatitis. The severity of the disease can be reduced if the affected individual is injected within two weeks of exposure with
This approach, called passive immunization, is effective because the serum contains antibodies
The vaccine is also recommended for people who travel to areas where HAV is common, homosexuals, people with chronic liver disease, hemophiliacs
Hepatitis B is a much more severe and longer-lasting disease than hepatitis A. It may occur as an acute disease, or, in about 5 to 10 percent of cases, the illness may become chronic and lead to permanent liver damage. Symptoms usually appear from 40 days to 6 months after exposure to the
Those persons at greatest risk for contracting hepatitis B include intravenous drug users, sexual partners of individuals with the disease, health care workers who are not adequately immunized
A safe and effective vaccine against HBV is available and provides protection for at least five years
Passive immunization with hepatitis B immune globulin can also provide protection
Approximately 1 in 10 patients with HBV infection becomes a carrier of the virus and may transmit it to others. Those who carry the virus are also 100 times more likely to develop liver cancer
was isolated in 1988. It typically is transmitted through contact with infected blood. Infection may cause mild or severe illness that lasts several weeks or a lifetime; in the early 21st century an estimated 71 million people worldwide had chronic HCV infection
About 80 percent of those who become infected are asymptomatic; those who do show symptoms may experience a flulike illness, with fatigue
nausea, vomiting, and sometimes jaundice. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of chronic infections progress to chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. Alcoholics who are infected with hepatitis C
Treatment for hepatitis C involves a combination of antiviral medications, namely alpha interferon and ribavirin; however, only about half of those receiving these drugs respond
Other antivirals, such as boceprevir and telaprevir, may be used along with interferon and ribavirin in patients who are infected with a form of hepatitis C