A To E Of Hepatitis Details In Depth

Reddish brown in color, liver is the largest internal organ in our body, followed by the brain. Just like one of your favorite superheroes, liver can sustain heavy damage and even regenerate itself. One of its crucial functions is to filter the blood that comes from the digestive tract, before it goes to the rest of the body. It also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs.

If there is a superhero, there must be a villain. Yes! Hepatitis is that villain which can damage your liver. Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver cells which ultimately affects the efficient functioning of your liver. Hepatitis may occur because of certain medications, drugs or alcohol but can also be caused by a group of hepatitis viruses which include Hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV).

Hepatitis Virus
Among the hepatitis viruses, HAV, HBV & HCV are the most common ones infecting the human population. Hepatitis viruses can cause mild to severe liver damage, resulting in acute or chronic viral hepatitis.

Acute Viral Hepatitis It is the inflammation of liver caused by the hepatitis virus which can last for few weeks. In some cases, no symptoms are seen, and the severity of symptoms varies according to the hepatitis virus and an individual's immune response. In most of the cases, HAV causes acute viral hepatitis.

Chronic Viral Hepatitis It is less common than acute viral hepatitis, but can last longer than six months (even for years). Chronic viral hepatitis can lead to scarring of liver (cirrhosis), liver failure and liver cancer. It is mostly caused by HBV and HCV. In some cases, HBV and HDV can coexist together as a According to the report of July2017 by Press Information Bureau, Government of India, there are about 40 million viral hepatitis patients in India and India is among the top 11 countries having 50% of world's chronic hepatitis sufferers.

Hepatitis Viruses Affecting Humans
HAV It is responsible for ] HAV and can be very contagious. Most individuals suffering from Hepatitis A recover within few weeks or can take months. It has extremely low fatality rate, however in few cases, it can lead to fulminant hepatitis (liver), which can be fatal. This virus is able to survive outside human body for few months.

HBV It is a blood-borne disease and can be acute or chronic. Individuals generally notice the onset of symptoms between one to four months after the exposure to HBV. In acute cases, a majority of them gets cured, while in some cases it may be severe and life-threatening (fulminant hepatitis). Chronic cases last longer than 6 months and, in some cases it may lead to liver.

HCV HCV causes Hepatitis C with the intensity of infection ranging from mild to severe. It is the most common blood-borne disease related to hepatitis virus. Individuals are at the greater risk of developing chronic infection and liver cirrhosis, while acute cases are cleared from an individual's body within the first six months.

HDV HDV requires HBV for its replication in both acute and chronic cases. This disease can only be caused when an individual is already suffering from Hepatitis B. This coinfection along with HBV can be more severe than Hepatitis B alone. Vaccination is an effective way to prevent HDV infection.

HEV HEV by HEV and is mostly acute type of infection. Hospitalization is seldom required for Hepatitis E as it is a self-limiting disease and resolves itself within the first two to six weeks after infection. But, Hepatitis E can be dangerous for pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. In few cases, hospitalization may be necessary if it develops into fulminant hepatitis. It has four genotypes, namely genotype 1, genotype 2, genotype 3, and genotype 4. Genotype 1 and 2 are transmitted through the fecal-oral route, whereas genotype 3 and 4 are food-borne transmitted infections.

Signs and Symptoms of Viral Hepatitis
- fever
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Tiredness
- Vomiting
- Itchy skin
- Dark urine
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal Pain
- Jaundice

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Diagnosis and Management of Viral Hepatitis A doctor can diagnose hepatitis and its severity according to the symptoms, patient's clinical history, and blood tests. Blood test includes liver enzyme tests, antibodies tests, and immunological tests.
- Liver enzyme tests Alanine Transaminase test (ALT), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), Gamma Glutamyl Transferase test (GGT) and Alkaline Phosphatase test are the most common liver enzyme tests. Among them, AST is the most sensitive and widely used liver enzyme test.
- Antibodies tests It include tests like (hepatitis A antibody), anti-HBV (hepatitis B antibody), antibody to hepatitis D core, etc. These tests generally detect the presence of antibodies which the body produces when exposed to hepatitis virus. Tests like Hepatitis, Hepatitis C RNA, etc., constitute immunological tests.

- Other blood tests like serum albumin, serum globulin and bilirubin levels (direct, indirect & total) are also available to assess the liver functioning.

Treatment and managing viral hepatitis can vary according to the severity of the infection. For acute viral hepatitis, adequate rest is recommended but for chronic viral hepatitis, optimum medication becomes important to eradicate the virus and prevent liver damage. In some cases of chronic viral hepatitis, prolonged treatment may be required.

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