What is viral hepatitis?

Viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Several viruses, namely, as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses, can cause viral hepatitis.

All of these viruses cause acute hepatitis and have short-term effects. The hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can also cause chronic hepatitis, in which the infection is prolonged, sometimes life-long. Chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Researchers are looking for other viruses that may cause hepatitis, but none have been identified with certainty. Other viruses that less often affect the liver include cytomegalovirus; Epstein-Barr virus, also called infectious mononucleosis; herpesvirus; parvovirus; and adenovirus.

This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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Viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Several viruses, namely, as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses, can cause viral hepatitis. All of these viruses cause acute hepatitis and have short-term effects. The hepatitis B,... More

Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:

Viral hepatitis refers to a virus that causes an inflammation of the liver. There are five different forms of hepatitis: A, B, C, D, and E.

Hepatitis A and E are usually contracted through unsanitary conditions. Most Americans develop hepatitis E when traveling in areas where food or water isn't properly sanitized.

Hepatitis B (HBV) is the most prevalent and deadly. HBV is now estimated to have 300 million chronic carriers worldwide and is the ninth leading cause of death (often through cancer) around the world. Hepatitis D can only co-exist with hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis C (HCV) is the most widespread in the U.S. About 4-5 million people have tested positive for this condition and another 30,000 develop it annually.

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More Related Answers from Johns Hopkins Medicine

Viral hepatitis refers to a virus that causes an inflammation of the liver. There are five different forms of hepatitis: A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A and E are usually contracted through unsanitary conditions. Most Americans develop hepatitis E... More

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital answered:

Hepatitis is a disease that affects the liver, and may cause lifelong infection such as cirrhosis (scarring and dysfunction of the liver), liver cancer, liver failure and death.

Hepatitis B, a type of viral hepatitis, is a blood-borne microorganism, transmitted by exposure to the hepatitis B virus through infectious body fluids. About 1.4 million Americans have chronic hepatitis B infection, and about 350 million individuals worldwide have this disease.

Hepatitis C (once called non-A, non-B hepatitis) is a liver disease caused by a recently identified blood-borne virus discovered in 1989. This strain of acute viral hepatitis causes approximately 20,000 new infections in the U.S. each year.

Transmission of hepatitis B and hepatitis C occurs primarily from contact with infected blood, but can also occur from sexual contact or from an infected mother to her baby.

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More Related Answers from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Hepatitis is a disease that affects the liver, and may cause lifelong infection such as cirrhosis (scarring and dysfunction of the liver), liver cancer, liver failure and death. Hepatitis B, a type of viral hepatitis, is a blood-borne... More

Healthwise answered:

Viral (or aseptic) hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by infection with a virus. Common symptoms of hepatitis are pain below the right side of the rib cage, nausea, fatigue, jaundice (causing a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), and headache.

All types of hepatitis damage liver cells. Hepatitis can cause the liver to become swollen and tender. Some types of hepatitis can cause permanent liver damage.

The following viruses can cause hepatitis:

Hepatitis A virus (HAV)Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
Hepatitis D virus (HDV)
Hepatitis E virus (HEV)
Epstein-Barr virus (which causes mononucleosis but rarely causes hepatitis)
Cytomegalovirus (which causes CMV, which is like mononucleosis but rarely causes hepatitis)

A virus that causes hepatitis can spread from one person to another. Some hepatitis viruses spread when an uninfected person comes in contact with infected body fluids. Body fluids include blood, semen, or vaginal fluid. Other viruses are spread by contaminated food and water or by coming in direct contact with the stool (feces) of a person who is infected with the virus. In the early stage of infection, the type of hepatitis virus causing the infection may be hard to identify. But several weeks to several months after infection occurs, blood tests can show which of the viruses is causing hepatitis.

Most people with viral hepatitis recover on their own. And doctors often will recommend bed rest, plenty of fluids, and medicine to relieve fever and headache. Antiviral medicine can treat some cases of hepatitis. Some forms of hepatitis can become chronic and increase a person's chance of liver failure or liver cancer.