Hepatitis -Definition, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment


by Steve Mathew - Date: 2007-02-11 - Word Count: 635 Share This!

Hepatitis known as an inflammation of the liver , is a gastroenterological disease. Hepatitis is generally categorized as a viral or non-viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis can be considered "rapid" a position that comes on frequently with severe symptoms and for a short time or "chronic" a position that comes on slowly, may or may not have symptoms for a long time.

Lot of sickness and conditions that can lead to inflammation of the liver, for example, drugs, alcohol , chemicals, and autoimmune diseases ,which are categorize as a non viral cause & some viruses that cause inflame the liver, for example, the virus of mononucleosis and the cytomegalovirus can be categorize as a viral. However,Most viruses don't impact on liver .But when doctors speak of viral hepatitis, they generally are referring to hepatitis caused by some specific viruses that primarily attack the liver .There are number of viruses that causes hepatitis. They have been called types A, B, C, D, E, F & G. All of these viruses can result an acute disease with appearance number of weeks including yellowing of the skin and eyes called as jaundice, dark urine, high fatigue, nausea, vomiting & abdominal pain. It can take various months to a year to experience fit again. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B, and C

Causes

Hepatitis is most generally caused by one of three viruses: A,B,C.

Hepatitis A virus : It is the one of the most common form of hepatitis also known as infectious hepatitis .It is a liver disease caused by the (HAV) hepatitis A virus .Hepatitis A can impact on any person. It (HAV) exist in the stools (feces or poop) of infected persons. HAV is spread when individual ingests something that is infected with HAV-contaminated stool ,in water, milk, and foods, especially in shellfish .

Hepatitis B virus : is a severe disease caused by a virus that harms the liver. It is commonly known as hepatitis B virus (HBV).It also called as serum hepatitis.It can cause a wide number of symptoms ranging from general malaise to lifelong infection, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. HBV spreads by contaminated body fluids, such as blood, saliva, semen, vaginal fluids, tears, and urine, a infected blood transfusion ,

shared infected needles or syringes for injecting drugs ,sexual activity with an HBV-infected individual,transmission from HBV-infected mothers to their newborn infants.

Hepatitis C virus: is one of the common liver disease caused by a virus known as HCV(hepatitis C virus) .Infection with the hepatitis C virus can cause chronic liver disease and is the leading reason for liver transplant . HCV is spread by direct contact with an infected person's blood, getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized tools, sharing drug needles , sexual contact with infected person.

strong>Symptoms

Hepatitis, in its primary stages, may produces flu-like symptoms, including:

Malaise

Mild fever

Muscle or joint pains

Appetite loss

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Slight abdominal pain

diarrhea

Fatigue

Hepatitis in its secondary stages i.e. if hepatitis progresses, its symptoms rarely serious or fatal embryonic to the liver as the source of sickness and rapidly progressing form leads to death. It symptoms, including:

Jaundice (yellowed skin, mucous membranes and whites of the eyes).

Foul breath.

Dark urine or tea-colored urine.

Light colored stools that may retain pus.

Itching.

Enlarged spleen.

Hives.

Treatments

There is no specific remedy for hepatitis A. Most cases of hepatitis A resolve themselves spontaneously.

The doctors prescribed rest is the only treatment for hepatitis B is rest, combined with a high protein, carbohydrate food to repair damaged liver cells and protect the liver.An antiviral agent called interferon is prescribed by the doctors if hepatitis B persists.

An antiviral agent called interferon is prescribed by the doctors if hepatitis B persists. Hepatitis C is cured with a combination of pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin.

Currently, there is no efficacious treatment for hepatitis D and E.


Related Tags: treatment, symptoms, causes, hepatitis

Steve Mathew is a writer, who writes many great articles on conditions, diseases and various other ailments. For more information on hepatitis, visit http://www.health-diseases.org.

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