Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E
Viral
hepatitis is an infection that causes inflammation and damage of
the liver. Hepatitis refers as “inflammation
of the liver”.
This condition
can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis, or liver cancer.
Viral
hepatitis caused by hepatitis viruses such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, hepatitis E.
Hepatitis
A is usually caused short-term infection while hepatitis B and C can cause
long-term, or chronic hepatitis infections. An
individual can have both hepatitis B and hepatitis C at the same time.
Hepatitis
A and E are typically caused by consuming of contaminated food or water while
Hepatitis B, C, and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with
infected body fluids of a person.
Check out here what are viral Hepatitis and Non-viral Hepatitis?
Viral Hepatitis - Causative Agent and
Portal of Entry
1. Hepatitis A
Causative agent;
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) (RNA virus)
Source
of infection
1. By faecal-oral route
2. Hepatitis B
Causative agent;
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) (DNA virus)- Hepatitis B is a blood-borne pathogen.
Hepatitis B infection is
most commonly spread from mother to child during at birth.
Hepatitis B is primarily
spread when blood, semen, or certain other body fluids from a person who ha
hepatitis B virus infection.
Source of Infection
1. Contaminated blood
and blood products, semen, or other body fluids
from an infected person
2. Sexual contact
3. Sharing syringes,
needles
4. Accidental needle stick
injuries
5. Drug-injection
equipment
6. From mother to baby at
birth - Happen during vaginal delivery or a c-section.
7. Contaminated injections
during medical procedures or through injection drug use.
3. Hepatitis C
Causative agent; Hepatitis C
virus (HCV)
(RNA virus)
This infection more
commonly spread through the use of contaminated needles used to inject drugs.
Infection transmitted by unclean needles (through skin puncture).
Hepatitis C usually only
spreads through blood-to-blood contact, spread when blood from a person
infected with the Hepatitis C virus.
Source of infection
1. Blood, semen, or other
body fluids from an infected person
2. Sexual contact
3. Sharing needles,
syringes
4. Needlestick injury
5. Drug-injection
equipment
6. Infected mother to
child at birth (spread from mother-to-child during birth)
7. Receiving a blood
transfusion or organ transplant
Note- Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B can
be prevented by vaccination, but not hepatitis C i;e no
vaccine available for hepatitis C.
4. Hepatitis D
Causative
agent; Hepatitis D virus (HDV)
Hepatitis
D infection only occurs in individuals who are also infected with the hepatitis
B virus.
Source of infection
1.
Contact with Blood, or other body fluids such as semen, vaginal fluid, or
saliva of an infected person
Hepatitis B vaccines
provide protection from Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection.
5. Hepatitis E (enteric hepatitis)
Causative;
agent Hepatitis E virus (HEV) (RNA virus)
Source of infection
1. By faecal-oral route
What is the Difference between Hepatitis A, B, and C?
Hepatitis refers to” inflammation of the liver” causes including viruses,
medications, and alcohol.
Hepatitis A virus
causes acute inflammation of the liver. It is easily spread from ingesting virus-contaminated food and water.
Hepatitis A can be prevented by
vaccination.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
can be both acute Hepatitis B (short-term illness) and chronic Hepatitis B (ongoing
illness). It is spread through the blood or other body fluids of an infected person.
Hepatitis B can be prevented by
vaccination.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can
be acute Hepatitis C and chronic Hepatitis C and spreads only by blood.
No vaccination is available for hepatitis
C.
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