Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, the body’s second-largest organ (after the skin), which plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification. The illness is most often caused by a viral infection, but drugs, alcohol, toxic chemicals, and physical trauma can also be to blame. Currently, there are seven known types of hepatitis viruses, labeled from A to G. Hepatitis A, E, and F are transmitted when people consume contaminated food or water, while B, C, D, and G are spread through blood or other bodily fluids.

Of these even viruses, A, B, and C are the most common, affecting 5 to 10 percent of Americans. Hepatitis A (HVA) is found in fecal matter and is usually spread through drinking contaminated water, eating raw shellfish, or consuming food made by someone who didn’t wash his or her hands after using the restroom. HVA usually lasts for 4 to 6 weeks, and usually there’s no permanent damage. Hepatitis B (HVB) and hepatitis C (HVC) most often are spread through sexual contact and sharing contaminated hypodermic needles. Both of these viruses can lead to chronic hepatitis, long-term inflammation that can lead to permanent liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. In fact, HVC is the number one cause of liver transplants in the United States. Vaccines are available for HVA and HVB. Most children and adults are administered HVB vaccines, while the HVA vaccine is recommended for people who are traveling to countries with a prevalence of hepatitis, have other forms of liver disease, or have high-risk careers, such as those in health care.

But no matter which virus is involved, the symptoms of hepatitis are the same: vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. If the illness Is not treated promptly, chemicals in the body that are normally secreted by the liver can led to jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyes), a bitter taste in the mouth, bad breath, and dark urine. More severe cases can evolve into fulminant hepatitis, a dangerous form of the disease that develops quickly and can cause severe liver failure and impaired kidney function.

1. The word hepatitis is derived from the word hepar (“liver”) and the suffix-itis (“inflammation”).

2. The liver weights about 3 pounds in adults.

3. Even tiny amounts of the hepatitis A virus can transmit the disease.