0 Hepatitis

DEFINITIONS
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver due to various reasons.

Hepatitis that lasted less than six months is called acute hepatitis, hepatitis that lasted more than six months is called chronic hepatitis.

CAUSE
Usually occurs because of viral hepatitis, especially any of the five hepatitis viruses, namely A, B, C, D or E.
Hepatitis can also occur due to other viral infections such as mononucleosis infeksiosa, yellow fever and cytomegalovirus infection.
Causes of non-viral hepatitis is the main alcohol and drugs.

Hepatitis A virus mainly spreads through feces. The spread is due to poor levels of cleanliness.
In developing countries often plague that spread occurs through food and water.

Hepatitis B virus is not transmitted as easily as viral hepatitis A. Hepatitis B virus is transmitted through blood or blood products.
Transmission usually occurs among drug users who use needles together, or between sexual partners (both heterosexual and homosexual men).
Pregnant women who are infected by hepatitis B can transmit the virus to babies during childbirth.
Hepatitis B can be transmitted by healthy people who carry the virus of hepatitis B.
In the Far East region and Africa, several cases of hepatitis B develop chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis B virus

Hepatitis C virus causes at least 80% of cases of hepatitis caused by blood transfusions.
The virus is most commonly transmitted through drug users who use needles together. Rarely occur through sexual transmission.
For reasons that remain unclear, patients with alcoholic liver disease often suffer from hepatitis C.

Hepatitis D virus only occurs as a co-infection of hepatitis B virus and this virus causes hepatitis B infection becomes more severe.
Who are at high risk against these viruses are drug addicts.

Hepatitis E virus causes epidemics which sometimes resembles hepatitis A, which only occurs in underdeveloped countries.