Asked by: Elka Jia
medical health vaccines

What is hepatitis virus?

29
Viral hepatitis is an infection that causes liver inflammation and damage. Inflammation is swelling that occurs when tissues of the body become injured or infected. Inflammation can damage organs. The hepatitis A and E viruses typically cause only acute, or short-term, infections.


In this regard, what is the main cause of hepatitis?

It's commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis. These include autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol.

Likewise, how do you treat viral hepatitis? About 25 percent of people with chronic hepatitis B can be cured with a drug called pegylated interferon-alpha, which is taken as a weekly injection for six months. The alternative is suppression of the virus with oral medications, such as lamivudine and adefovir.

Similarly, you may ask, what is the name of hepatitis virus?

In the United States, viral hepatitis is most commonly caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). These three viruses can all result in acute disease with symptoms of nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, malaise, and jaundice.

What are the symptoms of viral hepatitis?

Symptoms of chronic viral hepatitis can take decades to develop. Symptoms of hepatitis can include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice.

Related Question Answers

Marcio Orengo

Professional

What are the early symptoms of hepatitis?

If you do, hepatitis signs and symptoms can include:
  • Fatigue.
  • Sudden nausea and vomiting.
  • Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially on the upper right side beneath your lower ribs (by your liver)
  • Clay-colored bowel movements.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Low-grade fever.
  • Dark urine.
  • Joint pain.

Ruoxi Rulfing

Professional

Is Hepatitis an STD?

Hepatitis B is a serious infection of the liver caused by a virus. The virus is found in blood, semen, vaginal fluids and saliva. Hepatitis B is the only sexually transmitted disease that has a safe and effective vaccine to protect against infection.

Gael Behrend

Professional

How long is a person with Hepatitis A contagious to others?

You are most contagious soon after you are infected and before symptoms appear. Adults who are otherwise healthy are no longer contagious 2 weeks after the illness begins. Children and people who have weak immune systems may be contagious for up to 6 months.

Sanjay Hanswenzl

Explainer

Which hepatitis is not curable?

hepatitis B virus

Rosely Booke

Explainer

How do you protect yourself from hepatitis?

To protect yourself and your family from hepatitis B:
  1. Make sure your children get the hepatitis B vaccine (shot). And ask your doctor if you need it.
  2. Get tested for hepatitis B if you are pregnant or if you are at risk for infection.
  3. Be safe when you travel to countries where hepatitis B is common.

Gerarda Fiz

Explainer

How is hepatitis A spread from person to person?

The hepatitis A virus is transmitted primarily by the faecal-oral route; that is when an uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.

Kristiana Ben Allal

Pundit

Can you catch hepatitis from a dead person?

Most agents do not survive long in the human body after death. Workers who routinely handle corpses may however risk contracting tuberculosis, bloodborne viruses (eg hepatitis B and C and HIV) and gastrointestinal infections (e.g. cholera, E.

Jon Sahakyan

Pundit

How do you test for hepatitis?

Viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV), is diagnosed by your symptoms, a physical exam and blood tests. Sometimes imaging studies such as a sonogram or CAT scan and a liver biopsy are also used.

Contacto Meissener

Pundit

What part of the body does hepatitis affect?

Your liver
The liver's job is to process blood and filter toxins from your body. When a chronic infection occurs, it can cause cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, over time. As HCV progresses, symptoms like skin problems, blood disorders, and weight loss may appear.

Thad Halilulin

Pundit

Which hepatitis is dangerous?

There are 3 main types of hepatitis: hepatitis A, B, and C. Hepatitis C can be more severe and is the most deadly, but even those with acute illness can recover without lasting liver damage. Up to 70% of those chronically infected with hepatitis C develop chronic liver disease, and up to 20% develop cirrhosis.

Uldarico Toth

Pundit

What should you eat if you have hepatitis?

That diet should include:
  • Plenty of fruits and vegetables.
  • Whole grains such as oats, brown rice, barley, and quinoa.
  • Lean protein such as fish, skinless chicken, egg whites, and beans.
  • Low-fat or non-fat dairy products.
  • Healthy fats like those in nuts, avocados, and olive oil.

Margaretha Okafor

Teacher

Which hepatitis virus is most common?

In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

  • 75%-85% of people who get infected with the hepatitis C virus develop a chronic infection.
  • 5%-20% of people with chronic hepatitis C develop cirrhosis.
  • 1%–5% will die from cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Sibila Tapas

Teacher

Can bacteria cause hepatitis?

Hepatitis is most commonly caused by the viruses hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Other causes include heavy alcohol use, certain medications, toxins, other infections, autoimmune diseases, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatitis A and E are mainly spread by contaminated food and water.

Balvir Mun

Teacher

How big is the hepatitis virus?

Hepatitis A virus (HAV), a member of the Picornaviridae family, causes acute hepatitis in humans. The 27-32 nm non-enveloped HAV icosahedral particles encapsidate a 7.5 kb single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome [1], which contains a long open reading frame (ORF) flanked by 5' and 3' end non-translated regions (NTR).

Padua Vishwa

Teacher

Is hepatitis viral or bacterial?

Hepatitis can be caused by many things such as a physical injury, bacterial infections, adverse drug interactions, and viruses. There are currently 5 viruses identified (hepatitis A, B, C, D and E) that specifically attack the liver and cause “viral hepatitis” or inflammation of the liver due to a virus.

Anke Thundyil

Reviewer

How do I know if my liver is damaged?

Signs and symptoms of liver disease include:
  • Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
  • Abdominal pain and swelling.
  • Swelling in the legs and ankles.
  • Itchy skin.
  • Dark urine color.
  • Pale stool color, or bloody or tar-colored stool.
  • Chronic fatigue.
  • Nausea or vomiting.

Sayon Abrunheiro

Reviewer

Where is hepatitis virus found?

Hepatitis B virus can be found in the blood and, to a lesser extent, saliva, semen and other body fluids of an infected person. It is spread by direct contact with infected body fluids; usually by needle stick injury or sexual contact.

Theresia Molodyh

Reviewer

How long does viral hepatitis last?

People with acute viral hepatitis usually recover in 4 to 8 weeks, even without treatment.

Fiona Marschalt

Reviewer

What happens if hepatitis is left untreated?

What happens if hepatitis B is left untreated? Acute hepatitis B, if left untreated, can develop into chronic (long-term) hepatitis B, which is more difficult to manage and can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and even death.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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16th May, 2020

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