Viral hepatitis medical definition merriamwebster medical. A baby can get it from its mother during childbirth, and it can. Several drugs are now on the market to manage hepatitis b, and a growing number of agents are available to cure hepatitis c in more than 90 percent of people who are treated. Abstract idiopathic neonatal hepatitis inh is a term used to describe prolonged neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis in the. After hepatitis a, hepatitis e virus is the second most common etiologic agent of enterically transmitted viral hepatitis worldwide, particularly in asia and africa. Hepatitis b virus is a common viral pathogen that chronically infects almost 400 million people worldwide, who have a permanent risk of developing cirrhosis andor hepatocellular carcinoma. Overview of viral hepatitis addressing viral hepatitis in people. Are gay and bisexual men at risk for viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis an introduction hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, can be caused by several very different viruses. Who has defined the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat as achieving a 90% reduction in. There can be several reasons why the liver is inflamed.
A global snapshot of challenges and opportunities john w. Some types of hepatitis e virus are spread by drinking water contaminated by an infected. Existing chronic hepatitis b infection has been reported to increase the risk of developing acute liver failure following hepatitis a infection3,4. With the development of vac cines for hepatitis a and b viruses and the introduc tion of universal precautions and blood supply safety. Hepatitis a is caused by a picornavirus, is transmitted by the facealoral route. Proper usage and audio pronunciation plus ipa phonetic. This digital version of the 20142016 action plan for the prevention, care, and treatment of viral hepatitisoriginally released in spring 2014 was updated march 2015. In the united states, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis a, hepatitis b, and hepatitis c. Viral hepatitis a, b, c, d, and e are well defined. Hepatitis b is not spread by food or casual contact. It can be said that hepatitis b virus hbv infection is the main cause of chronic liver disease in the world, but thanks to the vaccinating and the.
Monumental achievements in the treatment of hepatitis c virus hcv infection have led to interferon ifn. Action plan for the prevention, care, and treatment of. East asia, in particular mongolia, is the region most affected. In the united states, viral hepatitis is usually caused by the hepatitis a, b, or c virus. The term acute viral hepatitis often refers to infection of the liver by one of the hepatitis viruses. Hepatitis a and hepatitis b can be prevented by vaccination. Hepatitis c is a disease with varying rates of progression.
Viral hepatitis is an infection that causes liver inflammation and damage. Abc of diseases of liver, pancreas, and biliary system. Hepatitis a, b, or c viruses are the most common causes of viral hepatitis. Suggested citation centers for disease control and prevention. This digital version of the 20142016 action plan for the prevention, care, and treatment of viral hepatitis originally released in spring 2014 was updated march 2015. The term hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, which can be due to viral, immunologic, bacterial, or idiopathic pathology.
May 05, 2016 viral hepatitis unless otherwise specified, the term viral hepatitis is reserved for infection of the liver caused by a group of viruses having a particular affinity for the liver systemic viral infections that can involve the liver include. Chronic viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer are the main clinical outcomes of these phenomena of viral persistence, which respond to two main mechanisms. Ictericia, hepatitis neonatal, diagnostico, tratamiento. Not only does viral hepatitis carry a high morbidity, but it also stresses medical resources and can have severe economic consequences. Chronic hepatitis b refers to a lifelong infection with. Pdf nitazoxanide for the treatment of chronic hepatitis c new. Hepatitis e is typically an acute infection that gets better without treatment after several weeks. Effective treatments for hepatitis c are available but costly.
Viral hepatitis hepatitis is a disease of the liver most often caused by a virus. Most cases of hepatitis can be spread to other people. Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation due to a viral infection. Hepatitis infections can be prevented by avoiding exposure to viruses, and through injectable immunoglobulins, or by vaccines. The study was conducted 30 outpatients infected by viral hepatitis type c, 30 infected with viral hepatitis type b and 20 control people to determine the effect of infection with viral hepatitis. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Symptoms of hepatitis are universal, regardless if caused by an infectious agent or chronic condition, and can include fatigue, anorexia, abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice. Viral hepatitis unless otherwise specified, the term viral hepatitis is reserved for infection of the liver caused by a group of viruses having a particular affinity for the liver. Viral hepatitis april 2012 page 1 viral hepatitis learning objectives upon completion of this content the learner will be able to. Other types are spread by eating undercooked pork or wild game. The most common forms are hepatitis a, hepatitis b and hepatitis c.
Viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis a hav, hepatitis b hbv and hepatitis c hcv, is diagnosed by your symptoms, a physical exam and blood tests. The hepatitis e virus hev, from the family hepeviridae, produces symptoms similar to. Other viruses eg, epsteinbarr virus, yellow fever virus, cytomegalovirus can also cause acute. Aug 08, 2018 hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. In the context of hepatitis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment services could be delivered via different means, for example, through communitybased. Hepatitis c hcv is caused by an rna virus in the flaviviridae family.
Centers for disease control and prevention division of viral hepatitis. Chronic viral hepatitis often requires treatment in order to prevent progressive liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. For this reason there are several kinds of hepatitis. Guidelines for viral hepatitis surveillance and case. Multiple hcv genotypes exist, with type 1 being most common in the united states. Viral hepatitis definition of viral hepatitis by the free. Viral hepatitis is defined as the inflammation of the liver due to infection by one of the hepatitis viruses. While all three types of hepatitis can cause similar symptoms, each virus is spread in different ways. Viral hepatitis definition of viral hepatitis by the.
The term viral hepatitis can describe either a clinical illness or the histologic findings associated with the disease. Hepatitis simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. These results may explain at least in part, why some patients with chronic hepatitis c infection do not respond to interferon therapy. Inflammation is swelling that occurs when tissues of the body become injured or infected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. Acute hepatitis, s d ryder and i j beckingham, bmj 2001. Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other. Viral hepatitis is primarily diagnosed through blood tests for levels of viral antigens such as the hepatitis b surface or core antigen, anti viral antibodies such as the anti hepatitis b surface antibody or anti hepatitis a antibody, or viral dnarna. Different types of hepatitis are spread different ways, including having sex, sharing needles, or eating unclean food. The natural history of hepatitis b virus infection is dynamic, and patients can fluctuate between periods of active liver inflammation and. Acute infection with a hepatitis virus may result in conditions ranging from subclinical disease to selflimited symptomatic disease to fulminant hepatic failure. Viral hepatitis is primarily diagnosed through blood tests for levels of viral antigens such as the hepatitis b surface or core antigen, antiviral antibodies such as the antihepatitis b surface. Viral hepatitis type a definition of viral hepatitis. Joint society statement for elimination of viral hepatitis medigraphic.
Outbreaks and sporadic cases occur especially with inadequate environmental sanitation. Viral hepatitis epidemiology and symptoms online medical. Current guidelines for the treatment of chronic hepatitis b hbv and hepatitis c hcv recommend optimal adherence, since. Jun 12, 2017 hepatitis, a general term referring to inflammation of the liver, may result from various causes, both infectious ie, viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic organisms and noninfectious eg, alcohol, drugs, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic diseases. It is a major public health issue in the united states and worldwide.
Apply for and manage the va benefits and services youve earned as a veteran, servicemember, or family memberlike health care, disability, education, and more. Guidelines for viral hepatitis surveillance and case management ordering information to order a copy of this manual, write to. Different types of hepatitis are spread different ways, including having sex, sharing needles, or eating. A brief description of how hepatitis a is spread, from the va national viral hepatitis and liver disease website. Overview of acute viral hepatitis hepatic and biliary. Hepatitis a and hepatitis e typically spread through contact with food or water that has been. Hepatitis e virus outbreaks are often waterborne, but foodborne outbreaks pork. Existing chronic hepatitis b infection has been reported to increase the risk of developing acute liver. However, hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. In the united states, the most common causes of viral hepatitis are hepatitis b virus hbv and hepatitis c virus hcv, although it can also be caused by hepatitis a virus hav. Acute viral hepatitis is a common, worldwide disease that has different causes. The virus may be detected within 30 to 60 days after infection and can persist and develop into chronic hepatitis b. Information about viral hepatitis in the dictionary, synonyms and antonyms.
Some types of hepatitis e virus are spread by drinking water contaminated by an infected persons stool. Dec 27, 2018 read medical definition of viral hepatitis. Apply for and manage the va benefits and services youve earned as a. This content is provided as a service of the national institute of diabetes. Introduction viral hepatitis, refers to infections that affect the liver and are caused by viruses. In others, the virus is life long and can lead to serious health problems. Discuss the epidemiology of hav hepatitis a virus, hbv hepatitis b virus, hcv hepatitis c virus, hdv hepatitis delta virus and hev hepatitis e virus hepatitis. Researchers have discovered several different viruses.
Hepatitis, a general term referring to inflammation of the liver, may result from various causes, both infectious ie, viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic organisms and. Hepatitis a is caused by a picornavirus, is transmitted by the facealoral route, does not become chronic, and no chronic virus carriers exist. In the united states, the most common causes of viral. Post the definition of viral hepatitis to facebook share the definition of viral hepatitis on twitter. It is spread by sexual contact or by contact with stool, urine, blood or other body fluids of an infected person.
Once symptoms occur, currently available interven tions are often ineffective andor expensive. Acute infection may occur with limited or no symptoms, or may. Symptoms of hepatitis are universal, regardless if caused by an. As with so many diseases, weve come a long way in understanding viral hepatitis, notably two chronic and serious forms. Chronic hepatitis c is a viral infection characterized by a chronic inflammatory liver disease that frequently leads to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Discuss the epidemiology of hav hepatitis a virus, hbv. Over the last decades, one of the most important health problems which has affected the health of millions of people annually and has led to their morbidity and mortality has been viral hepatitis. The symptoms of hepatitis can take decades to manifest, so many people who are infected with hepatitis are unaware that they have the disease and therefore do. Viral hepatitis type a definition of viral hepatitis type a. Proper usage and audio pronunciation plus ipa phonetic transcription of the word viral hepatitis. Instead, hepatitis b is spread by blood or body fluids from an infected person.