rnThe cause of hepatitis is sometimes hard to explain which refers to the fact that some viruses are not yet discovered.
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st types of hepatitis are caused by viruses that attack liver and they are marked with letters from A to G. Hepatitis is a virus liver inflammation which causes liver cells damage or cells destruction. World Health Organisation data shows that 170 millions people have hepatitis C, 350 millions hepatitis B, while for example "only" 40 millions people have HIV.
Hepatitis A, "the illness of unwashed hands" or contagious hepatitis as doctors called it before, transfers by contagious food and water and excrete in stool. Hepatitis A mostly occurs in people that travel in foreign countries where the level of hygiene is low. Hepatitis A is always acute, never chronic. It can be prevented by vaccination.
Hepatitis B, early called serum hepatitis, is the most contagious shape of hepatitis. It transfers with sperm, blood and saliva. It usually transfers by contagious needles, sexual intercourse or blood transfusion. The virus can enter through the cuts, scratches or other skin damages. Hospital employees belong to risk group for contagion with hepatitis B because they work with human blood every day, as well as policemen and fire-fighters. Hepatitis B can also be transferred by contagious medical instruments. In five percent of the cases it becomes chronic. The virus doesn't destroys cells directly but it seems that it activates immune system cells which cause liver inflammation and damaging. Pregnant women may transfer virus B on the child. It can be prevented by vaccination.
Hepatitis C can be also transferred with sexual intercourse, contagious needles or blood transfusion, but in case of hepatitis C the risk of transferring with blood transfusion is much smaller. Around 10 to 60 percent patients with acute hepatitis C develop chronic form which can appear without past acute phase. Hepatitis C occurs in intravenous drug addicts, cocaine addicts, people with body piercing and patients who have transplanted organ.
Still, for more than 40 percent of patients with hepatitis C scientists don't know the reason of contamination. Risk rises with unreasonable sexual activity, sharing toothbrush... Hepatitis C is also called "silent killer" because lot of people which have virus C have no symptoms at all. Vaccine for hepatitis C prevention doesn't exist at this moment.
Hepatitis D appears only in patient with hepatitis B. Those who are vaccinated against hepatitis B are also protected of hepatitis D.
Hepatitis E has only acute phase (short and heavy) and it doesn't transforms into chronic form. It spreads with contact with contagious water, food and faeces.
Toga virus or hepatitis F is a virtual virus. Science investigations failed to prove it and hepatitis F is delisted as a cause for infectious hepatitis.
Hepatitis G is lately discovered form of a liver inflammation. Hepatitis G is a distant relative of the hepatitis C. Patients with hepatitis G are often infected at the same time with the hepatitis B or C, or both.
Symptoms of acute virus hepatitis can appear suddenly or gradually. Symptoms can be so mild that patient may misinterpret it with flue symptoms. Almost every patient feels tiredness and has slightly higher temperature. Digestion problems are frequent, including nausea and vomiting. The patient may feel strange feeling in his stomach or sharp pain localized in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. That symptoms cause loss of appetite, loss of weight and dehydration.
After two weeks some patients have dark yellow urine and jaundice. Around half of all hepatitis patients have light coloured stools, pain in mussels, feeling of somnolence, irritability or mild itching. Liver can be enlarged and painful and most of the patients have mild anaemia. Some 10 percent of patients have enlarged spleen, and around 25 percent of them have diarrhea and joints pain.
Hepatitis B and C may become chronic without any earlier acute symptoms. Chronic hepatitis C may be present for even 20 years without causing any obvious problems to a patient.
Testing is the only way to find out do you have hepatitis. Ask for medical help if you notice dark urine, light stool or jaundice. ■