Viral Hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Types of viral hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. The disease can be short-term or long-term. The hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can cause chronic (long-term) viral hepatitis. Symptoms include jaundice, fatigue, stomach pain, and nausea. Some forms of viral hepatitis go away on their own, while others require medical treatment.

 

What Is Viral Hepatitis?

Hepatitis simply means inflammation of the liver. Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by a virus.
 
There are several types of viral hepatitis, including:
 
Hepatitis G is another type of viral hepatitis, although it does not seem to cause either acute or chronic hepatitis.
 

Acute Versus Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Acute viral hepatitis is a short-term viral infection. Chronic viral hepatitis is a longer-lasting (at least six months) viral infection that often becomes a lifelong condition. To find out if you have acute or chronic viral hepatitis, your healthcare provider will likely perform a medical evaluation that includes blood tests.
 
All types of viral hepatitis cause acute (short-term) viral hepatitis. The hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can also cause chronic hepatitis.
 

Causes of Viral Hepatitis

Each type of viral hepatitis is caused by a different virus.
 The name of the virus corresponds with the condition it causes. For example, the hepatitis A virus causes hepatitis A; the hepatitis B virus causes hepatitis B; the hepatitis C virus causes hepatitis C; and so on.
 
Click any of the following links to learn more about the specific causes of each type of viral hepatitis:
 

How Is Viral Hepatitis Transmitted?

Viral hepatitis transmission varies, based on the type of viral hepatitis. Four ways that the disease may be spread include:
 
  • Infected stool (fecal-oral transmission)
  • Infected blood products
  • Other infected bodily fluids, such as semen, vaginal fluids, or saliva
  • During delivery of a baby.
     
Hepatitis A and E are spread through fecal-oral transmission. This occurs when an uninfected person puts something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of an infected person (even if it looks clean). Hepatitis B is spread through infected blood or bodily fluids. Hepatitis C is most often transmitted through infected blood. While hepatitis C can be spread through sexual intercourse, this is rare.
 
Click any of the following links to learn more about how the different types of viral hepatitis are transmitted:
 

Incubation Period for Viral Hepatitis

Following viral hepatitis transmission, a person does not immediately become sick. Once the specific hepatitis virus enters the body, it travels to the liver, where it begins to multiply.
 
After 14 to 180 days, viral hepatitis symptoms can begin. This period between hepatitis transmission and the start of hepatitis signs and symptoms is called the "hepatitis incubation period."
 
Hepatitis A tends to have the shortest incubation period (30 days on average), while hepatitis B and hepatitis D tend to have the longest (60 to 90 days on average).
 

Symptoms of Viral Hepatitis

Some people with acute viral hepatitis have no signs of the infection. For other people, symptoms might develop. The signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include:
 
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
  • Fatigue
  • Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Low-grade fever
  • Headache.
     
Similar to acute hepatitis, a person may have chronic viral hepatitis and not know it because no symptoms develop.
 
Click any of the following links to learn about symptoms associated with each type of viral hepatitis:
 

Diagnosing Viral Hepatitis

To find out if you have acute or chronic viral hepatitis, your healthcare provider will perform a medical evaluation. This medical evaluation will include asking you a number of questions, performing a physical exam, and doing a number of tests.
 
The specific tests your healthcare provider orders, including blood tests, will depend on the type of viral hepatitis that he or she thinks you have.
 
Click any of the following links to learn about more about diagnosing the different types of viral hepatitis:
 

Treating Viral Hepatitis

There are no specific medicines that can cure acute viral hepatitis. Therefore, treatment is focused on dealing with any symptoms or complications that may occur. This is known as supportive care. Even without specialized treatment for acute viral hepatitis, most people recover completely within a few months.
 
For certain types of viral hepatitis, a person may not be able to completely get rid of the virus, and they will develop chronic viral hepatitis. The specific treatment options for chronic hepatitis will depend on the type. For some types, medicines are available. Other types may require a liver transplant.
 
Click any of the following links for more information:
 

Preventing Viral Hepatitis

Two vaccines are available to prevent specific types of viral hepatitis. This includes a hepatitis A vaccine and a hepatitis B vaccine. Other types of viral hepatitis can be prevented by avoiding high-risk situations, such as IV drug use, unprotected sex, or drinking tap water when traveling in certain countries, to name a few.
 
Click any of the following links for more information on how to prevent the specific types of viral hepatitis:
 
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD