Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a term used to describe injury to the liver. Characteristics of the condition include the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the liver. Hepatitis is a serious condition.

Most cases of hepatitis are caused by a group of viruses. This group of viruses goes by the name of the “hepatitis viruses.” There are also other viral causes of hepatitis. These include the mumps virus, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, Espstein-Barr virus, and other herpes viruses. Alcohol consumption can also cause hepatitis.

Symptoms of hepatitis vary. Sometimes symptoms are mild to non-existent. A person may develop acute hepatitis and not feel a single thing. However, a person may develop hepatitis and get all kinds of symptoms like impairment of liver functions and excess bile production. A person may also feel malaise, muscle and joint aches, nausea, vomiting, fever, and headache. Yellowing of the skin and eyes is also a sign of hepatitis.

Even though there are several forms of this condition, generally hepatitis is caused by one of five viruses: Hepatitis A, B, C, D or E virus.

Hepatitis A is transmitted through the feces of people who are infected with the disease. Usually, people get this particular type of hepatitis when they drink water or eat food that’s been contaminated with fecal matter. A person can get vaccinated for this type of hepatitis, and it usually does not damage the liver permanently and goes away after just a few weeks.

Hepatitis B is a more serious condition. It often leads to permanent scarring of the liver and liver cirrhosis. A young person might get it and recover and then become immune to it. However, many people will have this form of hepatitis for the rest of their life. This virus comes from blood transmission or the transmission of other body fluids from. People who have unprotected sex with a person who has hepatitis can also get the virus. People who use unsterilized needles during drug use are also at risk. Also getting tattoos with unclead needles can be a point of transmission.

The good news is that you can be vaccinated against hepatitis B with full protection after three shots. People of all ages can get the shot, but it is especially important for babies to get the first one at birth and the second and third by 18 months.
By far, the most serious type of hepatitis is hepatitis C also known as HCV. Just like hepatitis B, it can lead to liver cirrhosis. It can also lead to liver cancer. There is no cure or vaccine for this one. It is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids as well. Many people get the virus by using drug paraphernalia and having unprotected sex. Every year, thousands of people die from HCV. Breakthroughs in medicine have been made to control this type of virus, but since the medicine involves using frequent injections, it is not very easy for many people to take the medicine.

There are also two other strains of this disease to mention, Hepatitis D and Hepatitis E. Hepatitis D also attacks the liver and seldom occurs in the U. S. A person is infected the same way as Hep. B. At this time there is no vaccination for hepatitis D. Hepatitis E is a viral infection coming from unclean water or food. It is usually does not cause permanent damageor death and tends to to occur in under-developed parts of the world where good sanitation is a problem. There is no vaccine for Hep. E yet.

Hepatitis is a very serious virus. To keep from getting it one should avoid drugs and premarital and unprotected sex.