Hepatitis may be the Greek term for liver inflammation. It is characterised by the damage of a number of liver cells and also the presence of inflammatory cells in the liver tissue.

Hepatitis can be caused by viruses that mainly attack the liver cells, for example hepatitis A and B. Patients with glandular fever, brought on by the Epstein-Barr virus, may also suffer from a panic attack of hepatitis.

Hepatitis can be divided into 2 subgroups according to its duration:

• acute hepatitis – lasting under 6 months
• chronic hepatitis – staying longer than 6 months.

What can cause acute hepatitis?

Acute hepatitis has a number of possible causes.

• Infectious viral hepatitis, for example hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E.
• Other viral diseases, for example glandular fever and cytomegalovirus.
• Severe bacterial infections.
• Amoebic infections.
• Medicines, eg paracetamol poisoning and halothane (an anaesthetic).
• Harmful toxins: alcohol and fungal toxins, eg toadstool poisoning.

What can cause chronic hepatitis?

Persistent hepatitis also offers a number of different causes.

• Infectious hepatitis, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and hepatitis D.
• Drug reactions.
• Toxins, for example alcohol.
• Autoimmune hepatitis. This is a disease in which a number of liver cells are destroyed through the patient’s own defense mechanisms. Autoimmune hepatitis can also sometimes occur as acute hepatitis. The reason is unknown.
• Inborn metabolic disorders, such as Wilson’s disease (disorder of the body’s copper metabolism) and haemochromatosis (disorder from the body’s iron metabolism).

How can you get hepatitis ?

A person can develop hepatitis if they contract among the viruses that can cause liver inflammation, or as a result of exposure to substances that induce hepatitis – alcohol, fungal toxins and certain medicines.

There are two ways medicines can cause hepatitis: it can either occur as a result of medicine poisoning through overdoses of a medicine (eg paracetamol), or it can occur as a result of an abnormal reaction of the liver to a normal dose (eg halothane, the anaesthetic). Fortunately, the latter type of hepatitis is rare.

Do you know the the signs of hepatitis?

Acute hepatitis

The symptoms of acute hepatitis vary considerably for every person. Some patients have no symptoms at all, and in most cases, children only show mild symptoms.
In the first stages:

• tiredness, general malaise, slight fever
• nausea, poor appetite, changes in taste perception
• pressure or pain below the best ribs caused by an enlarged liver
• aching muscles and joints, headache, skin rash.

The jaundiced phase:

• yellowing of sclerae (the whites from the eyes), pores and skin and mucous membranes
• dark urine
• light-coloured stools
• around this time, the other signs and symptoms subside.

The recovery phase:

• tiredness that may are weeks.

Persistent hepatitis

• Many patients have no symptoms.
• Tiredness, a heightened need for sleep, aching muscles and joints.
• Periodic light pressure or pain below the right ribs – enlarged liver.
• Jaundice is a very late characteristic of chronic hepatitis. It is a sign that the disease has become serious.

Who’s vulnerable to hepatitis ?

• Patients with jaundice or other symptoms of hepatitis.
• People in high risk groups.
• People who are at increased risk as a result of hereditary kind of hepatitis within their families.

How can hepatitis be avoided ?

• By avoiding contact with the infectious hepatitis viruses.
• By being vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, for those who have a bad risk of being infected.
• By refraining from drinking large amounts of alcohol.

What you can do in your own home ?

• Avoid alcohol consumption if you’ve the signs of hepatitis or if a blood sample has shown that the disease is active.
• If alcoholism is the cause, you have to stop drinking completely and see your doctor. Eat a well-balanced diet.
• If you have symptoms of acute hepatitis, you may need to decelerate. However, if you feel fine, there is no reason why you should not start working and keep up your alternative activities.
• If you have hepatitis A and your job involves food handling, your doctor will advise you on when it’s safe to return to work
• If you have chronic hepatitis, try to lead an ordinary life as far as possible.
• People who have hepatitis B must inform their family and their sexual partners about it. Sexual along with other close contacts will have to protect themselves by being vaccinated. Condoms should be used until the vaccine has begun to work.
• If you have hepatitis A, you must inform your family, to enable them to protect themselves against it by practising good hygiene and seek advice on vaccination and other preventive measures.
• If you’ve chronic hepatitis, you ought to have regular clinic review because of your specialist.

How is hepatitis identified ?

Blood tests will help determine the cause and harshness of the hepatitis.

Further information may be from ultrasound along with other kinds of liver scans.

In certain situations a liver biopsy may be recommended. This involves taking a tiny bit of the liver to check out underneath the microscope. The procedure is generally done under local anaesthetic as a day case in a specialist unit.

Potential customers

Acute infectious viral hepatitis usually improves with no specific treatment.

Acute infection isn’t life-threatening.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C may become chronic. Hepatitis A never does.

Acute hepatitis brought on by medicines or alcohol usually improves once the liver is no longer exposed to these substances.

About one fifth of the patients with chronic hepatitis B and C are at chance of developing cirrhosis or cancer of the liver can.

Cirrhosis may also be caused by other kinds of chronic hepatitis.

How is hepatitis treated ?

• No medical treatment method is usually necessary for acute viral hepatitis.
• Chronic hepatitis B can be treated with interferon alfa or other antiviral agents.
• Chronic hepatitis C may be treatable with interferon alfa and ribavirin (tribavirin).
• Autoimmune hepatitis can by treated with corticosteroids.

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