HEPATITIS

WHAT IS HEPATITIS?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, exist two types of hepatitis:
- Acute Hepatitis: It start and get better quickly, also may be accompanied by few
symptoms or in some cases no.
- Chronic Hepatitis: It start and cause long-term disease; it can lead to liver damage, liver
failure or liver cancer.
The severity depends on many factors, including the cause of the liver damage and any illnesses
you have.
CAUSES:
The most comun causes are Immune cells attacking the liver, Infections from viruses, liver damage
from alcohol or other toxins , medications. Inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis or
hemochromatosis , a condition that involves having too much iron in the body
SYMPTONS:
There are many characteristic symponts, for example: pain, bloating, breast development in men,
dark urine and pale stools, fatigue, fever, usually low, generalized itching, jaundice (yellowing of
skin and eyes), lost of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weight loss
You may have no symptoms when they become infected with hepatitis B for the first time,
you also can develop liver failure later.
EXAMS AND TEST:
You will perform a physical examination to look for: enlarged and tender liver, fluid in the
abdomen ( ascites), yellowing of the skin.
Your doctor may order laboratory tests to diagnose and monitor the hepatitis , including:
Abdominal ultrasound, Autoimmune blood markers, serologies Hepatitis, Liver function tests, Liver
biopsy (to check for liver damage), Paracentesis (if fluid in the abdomen).
TREATMENT
Treatments will vary depending on the cause of the liver disease and your doctor may recommend
a diet rich in calories if you are losing weight.
VIRUS OF HEPATITIS
Five known major types of hepatitis , designated as A, B , C, D and E. These are the most important
because they cause a high morbidity and mortality also they can generating epidemics.
Types B and C are the most common cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis.
Types A and E are usually caused by the ingestion of contaminated food or water .
Types B, C and D are cause by contact with infected body fluids .

Hepatitis A: Present in the stool of infected persons and is transmitted by eating contaminated
food, water and by some sexual practices. In many cases the infection is mild and people develop
immunity against future infection by this virus.

Hepatitis B: Transmitted through exposure to blood , semen and other infectious body fluids, it
also can be passed from an infected mother to the child, also means a health risk to personnel
when it suffers accidental needle while attending HIV-infected persons. There is a safe and
effective vaccine to prevent this infection.
Hepatitis C: Transmitted by exposure to contaminated blood , which may occur through
transfusions of contaminated blood and blood products, also by injections with contaminated
instruments during medical interventions, and injecting drug use. There is no vaccine against HCV
infection .
Hepatitis D: Only happened in people infected with HBV, the simultaneous infection can cause a
more serious condition and have a worse outcome. There are safe and effective vaccines against
hepatitis B that provide protection against HDV infection .
Hepatitis E: Same as HAV, is transmitted by consuming contaminated food or wter, this is a
common cause of outbreaks of hepatitis in developing reas, there is safe and effective vaccines to
prevent HEV infection , but are not able to everybody.