Hepatitisisinflammation of the liver.
Hepatitis can beacute(sudden and severe) orchronic(persistent or recurrent).
Some chronic infections can cause liver scarring,cirrhosis,liver cancer, andliver failure.
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The diagnosis often involves blood tests and ultrasounds.
The treatment varies by the underlying cause.
This article describes hepatitis in its various forms, including how you get it and ways to prevent it.
It also explores the treatment options and how to stay well if diagnosed with the disease.
Both can cause acute liver injury that’s often reversible.
Some cases can progress and become chronic, and may cause irreversible liver damage.
Curable or Incurable?
The four causes can be broadly categorized as follows:
How Does Hepatitis Spread?
Acute hepatitis may cause liver injury that is often reversible.
Chronic hepatitis is characterized byfibrosis(tissue scarring), which is typically irreversible.
The infection can be short-lived and clear on its own without treatment.
Acute symptoms of hepatitis include:
Does Viral Hepatitis Go Away?
On the other hand, most adults and older children with HAV will have acute symptoms.
However, HAV infections always clear and never cause a chronic infection.
However, as the inflammation persists, fibrosis can develop and start to affect the function of the liver.
Over time, the mounting fibrosis can lead to a significant loss of liver function, known ascirrhosis.
In females, it can lead tooligomenorrhea(irregular periods) oramenorrhea(the complete cessation of periods).
The loss of libido (sex drive) is common in all sexes.
(Note that the terms for sex or gender used in this article are from the sources cited.)
What Causes Hepatitis?
The cause of hepatitis varies based on whether it is infectious or noninfectious.
With viral hepatitis, the infection of hepatocytes triggersinflammation, the body’s natural response to infection.
By doing so, the viruses can evade immune detection and avoid neutralization.
The healthcare provider would also visually inspect for jaundice, spider veins, and abnormal bruising.
These include:
Hepatitis Complications
The main complication of hepatitis is fibrosis.
Fibrosis is an indication that liver inflammation is chronic and typically progressive.
In some people, this can lead to cirrhosis andliver failure.
To defray the cost of treatment:
Hepatitis Vaccines
Several vaccinesprotect against hepatitis Aandhepatitis B.
They are eitherinactivated vaccinesmade with dead viruses orrecombinant vaccinesmade in the lab, neither of which cause disease.
All are given by injection into a large muscle.
These are all reasonable concerns.
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National Organization of Rare Disorders.Hepatopulmonary syndrome.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hepatitis A vaccination: information for healthcare providers.
