The Most Common Types of Hepatitis
Hepatitis is one of the most dreaded conditions of the liver, especially because it involves severe discomfort and loss of appetite. It causes inflammation of the liver, which mostly results from a viral infection. The liver serves a number of functions in our body, including the assimilation and conversion of glucose into glycogen as well as the breakdown of glycogen into glucose. Besides, the liver produces bile, synthesis hormones, vitamins and minerals, synthesis enzymes, and blood protein factors. It also helps in digestion and excretion and also has other functions. The various types of hepatitis cause an anomaly in liver functioning. Hepatitis can occur due to autoimmune disorders, side effects of medications, drug abuse, or excess alcohol consumption. Hepatitis from autoimmune disorders results in the destruction of the liver cells or hepatocytes by its own lymphocytes. This type of hepatitis is also very painful and dangerous.
1. Symptoms
The primary symptoms of hepatitis are similar to those of flu, which is why diagnosis is often delayed:
- Yellowing of eyes and skin (this can lead to confusion with jaundice)
- Urine will be darker in color and stool will be pale
- Pain in the abdomen
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
2. Types of hepatitis
There are 5 types of hepatitis that are commonly reported to affect people in the country:
- Hepatitis A
It is an acute form of hepatitis that affects individuals for a short period of time. This type of hepatitis is caused mainly due to the consumption of contaminated food and water. Water contamination by feces from an individual suffering from hepatitis and carrying the hepatitis A virus spreads the disease. - Hepatitis B
It is a chronic type of hepatitis caused due to an infection of the hepatitis B virus. It is usually ongoing and spreads through blood, sharing infected needles and razors, sexual contact with an infected individual, and contact with bodily fluids like semen or blood. - Hepatitis C
Infection from the hepatitis C virus is the cause of this type. It is also a chronic form, and it affects an individual for their lifetime. This type of hepatitis spreads through sexual contact and through sharing infected syringes, that is, direct blood contact. - Hepatitis D
Also known as hepatitis delta, this type of the disease is chronic and extremely rare. It is caused due to an infection of the hepatitis D virus. It spreads through direct blood contact, and it only affects a person along with hepatitis B as it cannot multiply without hepatitis B. - Hepatitis E
It is an acute type of hepatitis that is also caused by the consumption of water infected with the fecal matter of an affected person. This is the reason it is common in regions with improper sanitation. It can be dangerous for pregnant women and can be life-threatening for both the baby and the mother if left untreated.