What Is Hepatitis?
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Medically reviewed by Steffini Stalos, DO
Hepatitis (sometimes also known as viral hepatitis) is a term used to describe any inflammation of the liver—an organ in your body that is responsible for filtering blood, processing nutrients, producing bile, and helping fight infections. When inflammation occurs, swelling of the liver can happen and affect the proper functioning of your liver.
Unfortunately, hepatitis is very common, especially in parts of the world where clean drinking water and vaccines aren’t readily available. The World Health Organization estimates that 354 million people live with Hepatitis B or C. That’s why knowing the symptoms, understanding when to seek medical care, and learning how to prevent your risk of developing hepatitis is essential.
Types of Hepatitis
There are five strains of hepatitis, including types A, B, C, D, and E. Each of these types is caused by a different hepatitis virus. Hepatitis can either be acute (symptoms can come on suddenly and go away on their own) or chronic (symptoms are long-term and can lead to further complications).
Here’s what you need to know about each type:
Type of Hepatitis | Infection Type | How It Spreads |
Acute | Spreads through contact with an infected person’s blood or stool or by digesting unclean food or water | |
Hepatitis B (HBV) | Acute or chronic | Exposure to an infected person’s blood, semen, or other bodily fluid |
Acute or chronic | Being in contact with an infected person’s blood, such as through sharing needles, having sex, or sharing personal items like a toothbrush | |
Hepatitis D (HDV) | Co-infection with chronic HBV | Only occurs if you also have hepatitis B and make contact with another infected person’s blood or semen |
Hepatitis E (HEV) | Acute | Transmitted through contaminated water or eating undercooked or unclean food |
Symptoms
Oftentimes, people with hepatitis don’t realize they have the viral infection because hepatitis doesn’t always cause symptoms. Your symptoms will also depend on whether you have an acute or chronic infection. Generally, acute hepatitis causes more severe symptoms in the short term, while chronic hepatitis can lead to serious complications in the long run.
If you do develop symptoms, you may experience:
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Changes in stool and urine color
Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
Keep in mind: acute infection symptoms can develop anytime between two weeks and six months of exposure to the virus. However, chronic hepatitis symptoms may not show up until several years later—sometimes when complications like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or liver failure occur.
Causes
The five strains of hepatitis are caused by each of their own individual viruses. You can contract a hepatitis virus from the following transmission routes:
Digesting unclean food or drinking water
Using contaminated needles or syringes
Exchanging bodily fluids such as blood or semen
Coming into contact with an infected person’s urine or stool
Having sex with an infected person
A parent with hepatitis passing on the infection to their newborn during childbirth
Risk Factors
While anyone can get hepatitis, some factors can increase your risk of developing the infection. Risk factors include:
Not having access to clean water or food
Lacking adequate resources for medical care and hepatitis vaccinations
Traveling internationally to areas where hepatitis vaccinations aren’t common
Sharing needles
Engaging in unprotected sex
Men having sex with men
Working with toxic chemicals
Diagnosis
If you suspect you have hepatitis or recently came into contact with someone who has hepatitis, it’s a good idea to see your healthcare provider for proper testing. Your healthcare provider will likely ask you about your personal and family medical history and then conduct a physical exam to assess your symptoms—if you have any symptoms present.
They can also order a variety of tests to help diagnose the type of hepatitis you have. These tests may include:
Liver function tests: A blood test that assesses how well your liver is functioning
Antibody tests: Checks to see how many antibodies (proteins that your immune system makes when your body is fighting an infection) you’re producing to identify whether you have an infection
Imaging tests: Scans such as ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRIs which look at changes in liver size and structure or the presence of inflammation
Liver biopsy: Takes a tissue sample of your liver to check for signs of liver damage or liver cancer
Treatment
Your exact treatment plan will often depend on the exact type of hepatitis you have and whether your infection is acute or chronic. Treatment options for viral hepatitis include:
Supportive care such as getting enough rest, staying hydrated, and eating a healthy diet
Antiviral medications if you have hepatitis B or C
Drugs to reduce liver inflammation
It’s important to note that if you experience complications as a result of chronic or untreated hepatitis, you may be at a higher risk of developing liver damage, failure, or cancer. In such cases, additional treatments such as chemotherapy or a liver transplant may be needed.
How to Prevent Hepatitis
The best way to prevent most strains of hepatitis is to stay up-to-date on hepatitis vaccines. The World Health Organization also recommends getting screened for hepatitis regularly. In addition to vaccinations and screenings, you may also consider the following preventative measures:
Washing your hands with soap and water to avoid the spread of the virus
Using condoms or dental dams when having sex
Avoiding sharing needles with others
Drinking bottled water while traveling
Limiting contact with someone who has hepatitis
Complications
Chronic cases of viral hepatitis, especially HBV and HCV, can increase your risk of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Unfortunately, around 15% to 20% of people with HCV develop cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) within 20 years of being exposed to the virus. That’s why screening and early diagnosis are so important.
Getting screened for hepatitis, especially if you’ve been exposed to the virus, can help you receive an early diagnosis for the infection. Once you have a diagnosis, your healthcare provider can work with you to figure out the treatment options that are right for you. Following your treatment plan as directed can limit liver inflammation and slow the infection from growing into a more serious complication.
Living With Hepatitis
Getting a hepatitis diagnosis can feel stressful or scary. It’s OK to feel however you feel. However, it’s just as important to talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns with your infection and work with them to find a treatment plan that works best for you.
Depending on the type of hepatitis you have, your provider may recommend rest or antiviral medications. However, it may also be a good idea to talk to them about what you can do to prevent spreading the virus to someone else and prevention strategies to try to keep yourself safe from complications.
The good news: there has been considerable funding in hepatitis research and experts are actively studying ways to learn more about viral hepatitis and treatment options that can help manage or cure the infection—all of which can help reduce the onset of hepatitis cases in the future and make the infection more manageable for those who contract a hepatitis virus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you live with hepatitis without knowing?
People with chronic hepatitis may not develop symptoms for several years after being exposed to a hepatitis virus—so it's possible to live with hepatitis without knowing. However, those with acute hepatitis tend to develop symptoms between two weeks and six months of exposure to the virus.
Which is the most dangerous type of hepatits?
Hepatitis D is the most severe form of hepatitis. That's because the infection only occurs if you also have hepatitis B. If you develop hepatitis D, you may be more prone to experiencing liver-related complications such as chronic disease, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.
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