Viral Hepatitis

What is viral hepatitis?

Viral hepatitis is a viral infection that affects millions of people worldwide. It causes inflammation in your liver. Viral hepatitis can be acute (short-term) and cause symptoms that last from a few weeks to a few months. But you can have a form of chronic (long-term) viral hepatitis that doesn’t go away.

You get the infection after exposure to hepatitis viruses. These viruses are different but have some symptoms in common. Viral hepatitis may not cause symptoms right away. You can have and spread the condition without knowing you’re sick.

Contact with infected blood or bodily fluids is the main way these viruses spread. Without treatment, the viruses can lead to life-threatening liver disease. There are vaccines that help prevent some types of viral hepatitis.

There are five known types of viral hepatitis. The most common types are hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C:

• Hepatitis A. The hepatitis A virus (HAV) causes this infection. You can get hepatitis A from eating contaminated food or water that contains the virus.
• Hepatitis B. This type of hepatitis is the most common liver infection in the world. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) often causes short-term illness. But it can become chronic.
• Hepatitis C. This virus often spreads when people who have it share needles and syringes. This virus is more likely to become chronic.
• Hepatitis D. People who have hepatitis B may get hepatitis D. The hepatitis D virus (HDV) needs HBV to survive and spread.
• Hepatitis E. The hepatitis E virus (HEV) typically goes away without treatment. But you’ll need treatment if you’re pregnant. Hepatitis E in pregnancy can cause pregnancy complications or liver failure.

Symptoms of viral hepatitis

Common symptoms of the different types of viral hepatitis include:

• Aching joints
• Dark-colored pee
• Fatigue
• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Pale or clay-colored poop
• Skin or white of your eyes looks yellow (jaundice)
• Stomach pain

Viral hepatitis symptoms develop over time as the condition progresses. Healthcare providers consider your symptoms and other factors to stage viral hepatitis.

Acute viral hepatitis stages

All types of hepatitis can be acute (short-term) illnesses that go away. Acute viral hepatitis goes through four general stages:

• Incubation. You have a type of viral hepatitis, but you don’t have symptoms. Hepatitis A, B, C and D are contagious. That means you can pass the virus on to other people even though you don’t feel sick. The incubation period varies. On average, incubation lasts between two weeks and three months.
• Prodromal. You have general symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, or nausea and vomiting. This stage or phase typically lasts three to 10 days.
• Icteric. You may notice your pee is darker than usual. Your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow. These are jaundice symptoms. This stage lasts one to two weeks.
• Recovery. Your jaundice symptoms get better as your body overcomes the virus. The recovery stage can last two to four weeks.

Chronic viral hepatitis stages

Healthcare providers use different standards to set chronic viral hepatitis stages:

• Hepatitis B. There are four stages of hepatitis B. Providers base stages on how your immune system reacts to the virus.
• Hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C has five stages that cause fibrosis (scar tissue).
• Hepatitis D. You get hepatitis D along with hepatitis B. The viruses take turns duplicating in your body. Hepatitis D has three stages based on the virus’s activity.

Viral hepatitis causes

Viral hepatitis happens when you have exposure to any of the viruses that cause it. That can happen if you have contact with bodily fluids like blood and pee from someone who has the virus.

• The most common cause for hepatitis A is food poisoning. That can happen if you eat food or drink water that contains traces of contaminated poop. You can also get it from sharing needles or having unprotected sex with someone who has the virus.
• Hepatitis B can spread through unprotected sex, sharing needles or syringes, or during childbirth, when it can pass to the newborn.
• The most common way to get hepatitis C in the U.S. is sharing needles and syringes to inject intravenous drugs. You’re also at risk when getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterile equipment.
• You can get hepatitis D if you already have hepatitis B or have exposure to both viruses at the same time. Hepatitis D spreads through unprotected sex and sharing of needles.
• Hepatitis E isn’t contagious. You may have exposure to the virus by drinking water that contains traces of poop from someone with the virus, eating undercooked meat or being born to someone who has the virus.

Complications

Viral hepatitis can lead to more serious issues like:

• Becoming a chronic disease
• Cirrhosis
• Liver failure

How doctors diagnose viral hepatitis

A healthcare provider will do a physical examination. They’ll ask about your symptoms. They may do blood tests to check for signs of specific viruses. They may also do liver function tests.

How is viral hepatitis treated?

Treatment varies depending on factors like the type of virus you have and your symptoms. There are treatments to manage viral hepatitis symptoms. A healthcare provider may prescribe an antiviral medication if you have hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Treatments that manage symptoms include:

• IV fluids
• IV nutrition
• Pain medication

Hepatitis C is the only viral hepatitis for which there’s a cure.

Recovery time

Viral hepatitis can cause acute (short-term) illness that goes away very quickly. But sometimes, it can take months for your liver to heal from the damage that hepatitis does. And some chronic forms of viral hepatitis never go away. Talk to your healthcare provider about recovery time in your situation.

When should I seek care?

You should seek care if you:

• Know you’ve had close contact with someone who has viral hepatitis
• Have symptoms that you think may mean you have viral hepatitis

Can viral hepatitis be prevented?

There are vaccines that prevent viral hepatitis A and B. You can reduce your risk of developing other types of viral hepatitis if you:

• Use a condom during sex
• Don’t share needles to take drugs
• Practice good personal hygiene, like thorough handwashing with soap and water

What can I expect if I have viral hepatitis?

That depends on your situation. For example, your body can fight off hepatitis A and hepatitis E infections without medication. Medication can cure hepatitis C. But hepatitis B and hepatitis D are chronic diseases. You may need medication to keep them from getting worse.

What can I do to feel better?

There are many things you can do as you recover:

• Avoid beverages that contain alcohol. Alcohol puts stress on your liver.
• Eat well by choosing food that gives your liver the nutrients it needs.
• Get extra rest so your body has energy to fight off or cope with viral hepatitis.