Hepatitis
There are two types of Hepatitis:
Acute hepatitis – means new onset of Hepatitis
Chronic hepatitis – Means hepatitis has been present for more than 6 months
1) What is acute hepatitis?
Acute hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that leads to liver cell damage and destruction. Acute hepatitis is quite common: While acute hepatitis occurs in one in 4000 people every year in developed countries, this number may be 5 times higher in developing countries.
Causes of acute hepatitis
Common causes of acute hepatitis include:
Virus infection (viral hepatitis A, B, C, D or E)
Medication overdose (such as acetaminophen, paracetamol)
Exposure to chemicals (dry cleaning chemicals and some wild mushrooms)
symptoms
Acute hepatitis usually begins with flu-like symptoms. The most common symptoms of acute hepatitis are given below. However, each individual may experience different symptoms, such as jaundice, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, tenderness in the upper right abdomen, muscle pain, joint pain, and itchy red hives on the skin.
Symptoms of acute hepatitis may resemble other diseases or medical problems. A physician should be consulted for diagnosis at the right time.
Diagnosis
In addition to a complete medical history and medical examinations, diagnostic procedures for acute hepatitis include:
Specific laboratory tests to detect viruses,
Liver function tests.
Treatment
Acute hepatitis treatment, cause and severity of the disease; It will be determined by your physician based on your health condition and the presence of a medical history of liver disease.
In general, many people recover without treatment. Severe acute hepatitis may require hospitalization. People who have had acute viral hepatitis can become chronic carriers of the disease in the event of Hepatitis B or C infection.
2) What is chronic hepatitis?
As the liver continues to suffer further damage and inflammation, some people do not fully recover from acute hepatitis and may develop chronic hepatitis. If symptoms last more than six months, hepatitis is considered chronic. Chronic hepatitis can last for years.
Different forms of chronic hepatitis
Alcoholic chronic hepatitis – persistent liver damage caused by heavy alcohol use.
Chronic active hepatitis – aggressive inflammation of liver cells that can lead to cirrhosis
Chronic persistent hepatitis – milder chronic inflammation of the liver that usually does not lead to cirrhosis.
Reasons
Some viruses and medications may cause chronic hepatitis in some people but not in others.
Common causes include:
viral hepatitis
Heavy alcohol use
Autoimmune disorder (the body attacks its own tissues)
Reaction to some medications, especially those for tuberculosis.
Metabolic disorders (such as Hemochromatosis or Wilson's Disease)
symptoms
Chronic hepatitis symptoms are usually mild. Although liver damage continues, its progression is generally slow. While some individuals have no symptoms, others may experience the following: feeling sick, loss of appetite, fatigue, low fever, upper abdominal pain, jaundice, symptoms of chronic liver disease (an enlarged spleen, spider-like blood vessels in the skin, and fluid buildup in the abdomen).
Chronic hepatitis symptoms may resemble other diseases or medical problems. A physician should be consulted for diagnosis.
Diagnosis
In addition to a complete medical history and medical examinations, diagnostic procedures for chronic hepatitis include:
A) Laboratory tests for specific viruses,
B) Liver function tests or
C) Liver biopsy to determine the severity of inflammation, scarring, cirrhosis and underlying cause
Treatment
Chronic hepatitis treatment, cause and severity of the disease; It will be determined by your physician based on your health condition and the presence of a medical history of liver disease. The goal of treatment is to end liver damage and relieve symptoms.
Treatment may include one or more of the following:
Antiviral Agents – Liver inflammation, if caused by Hepatitis B or C, can be stopped with the injectable antiviral drug interferon-alpha. Additionally, oral antiviral agents such as lamivudine or adefovir can also be used in Hepatitis B, while ribavirin is used in Hepatitis C.
Corticosteroids – Corticosteroids may be used to treat chronic liver disease caused by an autoimmune disorder. Inflammation is suppressed, but fibrosis (scarring) of the liver may continue.
Stopping some medications – When Chronic Hepatitis is caused by certain medications, stopping these medications usually eliminates the symptoms.
Alcohol cessation – While this is essential in alcohol-related chronic liver disease, it is also highly recommended in Hepatitis C and other chronic diseases of the liver.
Preventing the spread of viral hepatitis:
Proper hygiene is essential in preventing the spread of many diseases, including Hepatitis. Other precautionary measures are:
Vaccination – Toddlers are routinely administered a Hepatitis B vaccine as part of an immunization program. Hepatitis A vaccine is administered to people who are at risk of contracting the disease while traveling. (There is currently no vaccine available for hepatitis C, D, or E.)
Blood transfusion – To reduce the risk of infection during transfusion, blood products are routinely screened for Hepatitis B, C, and HIV.
Antibody preparation – If a person has been exposed to Hepatitis B, an antibody preparation may be administered to prevent the person from contracting the disease.
In particular, people with the following conditions are at higher risk of contracting hepatitis B and C:
a) Unsafe Blood Transfusion,
b) Presence of Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C in the family,
c) Surgical procedures or dental interventions,
d) Intravenous drug use,
e) Unprotected sexual exposure,
f) Dialysis,
g) Medical personnel or assistant medical personnel.
