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What is hepatitis? -

Hepatitis is the term used to describe inflammation of the liver. Viral hepatitis affects millions of people around the world.

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Common signs and symptoms -

Common symptoms of hepatitis include yellow skin and eyes.

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Poor appetite -

Loss of appetite is another indicator that you might have contracted hepatitis.

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Vomiting -

Affected people may also experience sudden nausea and vomiting.

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Tiredness -

Feeling unusually tired or fatigued on a regular basis can be an early indicator of the onset of hepatitis.

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Abdominal pain -

Pain or discomfort in the upper right part of the abdomen is a common symptom of hepatitis.

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Diarrhea -

Clay-colored bowel movements and, in time, regular bouts of diarrhea are telltale signs that you could be suffering from hepatitis.

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Chronic or acute? -

Hepatitis is acute if it resolves within six months, and chronic if it lasts longer than six months.

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Chronic hepatitis -

Chronic hepatitis may progress to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), or liver failure.

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Liver cancer -

Depending on the type of hepatitis contracted, the condition can in some cases lead to liver cancer.

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Hepatitis A -

Hepatitis is most commonly caused by the viruses hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious infection usually caught by consuming food and drink contaminated with the excrement of an infected person. Symptoms include those previously mentioned, as well as jaundiced or yellow skin (note the difference in the color of the hand of an infected patient as opposed to that of a healthy person). Hepatitis A usually passes within a few months, and there's no specific treatment for it. However, there is a vaccine, which is recommended if you're traveling to an area where the virus is common.

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Hepatitis B -

Hepatitis B is spread in the blood of an infected person. Symptoms are similar to those infected with hepatitis A. Most adults infected with hepatitis B are able to fight off the virus and fully recover from the infection within a few months. Infants and children, however, are more likely to develop a chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B infection. A vaccine can help prevent the condition.

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Hepatitis C -

Hepatitis C is commonly spread through infected blood. Risk of infection is raised considerably by sharing needles after injecting illicit substances, or through unsafe medical injections. Around one in four people will fight off the infection and be free of the virus. But a hepatitis C infection that continues over many years can cause cirrhosis and liver failure.

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Hepatitis D -

Usually spread through blood-to-blood contact or sexual contact, the hepatitis D virus requires that a person first be infected with hepatitis B virus, so prevention efforts should focus on limiting the spread of hepatitis B. Long-term infection with hepatitis D and hepatitis B can result in cirrhosis and liver cancer.

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Hepatitis E -

The hepatitis E virus is spread primarily through the oral-fecal route. It's also associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked pork meat or offal, and with wild boar meat, venison, and shellfish. While generally a mild and short-term infection that does not require any treatment, there is no vaccine for hepatitis E.

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Alcoholic hepatitis -

Alcoholic hepatitis is most likely to occur in people who drink heavily over many years. Because people with alcoholic hepatitis may have no symptoms, it can be difficult to diagnose (although it can cause sudden jaundice and liver failure in some people). If you're diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, you must stop drinking alcohol.

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Parasitic hepatitis -

There are some bad bugs out there, parasites that infect the liver and activate the immune response, resulting in symptoms of acute hepatitis. Parasitic hepatitis can be transmitted through the bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes. Dog tapeworms and liver flukes cause progressive hepatitis and liver fibrosis.

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Bacterial hepatitis -

Bacterial infection of the liver commonly results in liver abscesses, acute hepatitis, and chronic liver disease. Escherichia coli (E. coli), a common cause of food poisoning, is also a common cause of liver abscesses.

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Toxic and substance-induced hepatitis -

Many chemical agents, including medications, industrial toxins, and herbal and dietary supplements, can cause hepatitis.

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Autoimmune hepatitis -

Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic disease caused by an abnormal immune response against liver cells. It's a rare cause of long-term hepatitis in which the immune system attacks and damages the liver. Classic signs and symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis include fatigue, anemia, pleurisy, and nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys). Autoimmune hepatitis increases the risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer.

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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease -

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the term for a range of conditions caused by a build-up of fat in the liver. Non-alcoholic hepatitis falls within the spectrum of NAFLD and occurs in people with little or no history of alcohol use and is instead strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

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Worrying statistics -

According to figures released in 2017 by the World Health Organization (WHO), 325 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or hepatitis C. In 2015, viral hepatitis caused 1.34 million deaths. Furthermore, the WHO estimated that only 10% of people with hepatitis B and 20% of people with hepatitis C worldwide knew they were infected. Of these, less than 10% had received treatment.

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How hepatitis is treated: hepatitis A -

If hepatitis has been diagnosed, treatment is determined by which type of hepatitis you have and whether the infection is acute or chronic. As it's a short-term illness, hepatitis A doesn't requite any treatment. Bed rest is often recommended.

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How hepatitis is treated: hepatitis B -

Acute hepatitis B doesn’t require specific treatment; chronic hepatitis B is treated with antiviral medications.

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How hepatitis is treated: hepatitis C -

Antiviral medications are used to treat both acute and chronic forms of hepatitis C.

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How hepatitis is treated: hepatitis D -

There are currently no antiviral medications available for the treatment of hepatitis D. Interferon alpha has proven effective at inhibiting viral activity but only on a temporary basis, a 2013 study revealed. Hepatitis D can be prevented by getting the vaccination for hepatitis B, as infection with hepatitis B is necessary for hepatitis D to develop.

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How hepatitis is treated: hepatitis E -

Presently, no specific medical therapies are available to treat hepatitis E. Treatment is therefore supportive and includes rest and ensuring adequate nutrition and hydration.

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Tips to prevent hepatitis A and B -

Practicing good hygiene is key in helping to diminish the chance of contracting hepatitis A and B. If traveling to countries where the disease is prevalent, you should avoid drinking tap water, using ice, eating raw or undercooked shellfish, and raw fruit and vegetables.

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Tips to prevent hepatitis B, C, and D -

Hepatitis B, C, and D are contracted through contaminated blood, so on no account share needles or razors, use someone else's toothbrush, or touch spilled blood.

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Play it safe -

Hepatitis B and C can also be contracted through sexual intercourse. Always err on the side of caution by using protection.

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World Hepatitis Day -

In 2010, the World Health Organization made World Hepatitis Day one of only four official disease-specific world health days, to be celebrated each year on July 28.

Sources: (WHO)

See also: The history of the World Health Organization

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