The World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged viral hepatitis as a major global public health challenge. On World Hepatitis Day, it is important to focus on why viral hepatitis remains one of the leading infectious disease killers worldwide, despite there being effective vaccines available, preventive measures in place, and curative treatments for some forms of the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), viral hepatitis occurs when there is a disease of the liver caused by a virus. It can affect the liver based on the type it is and cause severe reactions to normal liver function if left untreated. Even if you don't have symptoms, you can spread viral hepatitis, so get tested - the only way to diagnose it.

What Is Viral Hepatitis?

Research published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology pinpoints that viral hepatitis can damage the liver depending on the strain of the virus. There are varying degrees of viral hepatitis that can damage the liver, and it can be acute or chronic, which can influence how the treatment options are used.

Dr Vineet Kumar Gupta, Senior Consultant and Unit Head, ShardaCare-HealthCity, highlights, "'Viral hepatitis' refers to inflammation of the liver caused by 5 distinct viruses: hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. While all attack the liver, they differ significantly in how they spread, how they present, and what they mean for long-term health."

Hepatitis A: The Food- And Water-Borne Infection

Hepatitis A is caused by infection after consuming contaminated food and water. Dr Vineet Kumar Gupta explains, "Hepatitis A and E are transmitted through the faecal-oral route and poor sanitation. These are 'acute' infections."

Dr Gupta highlights the symptoms that you need to be aware of to seek timely treatment.

Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Jaundice
  • Abdominal pain

Dr Gupta highlights, "The good news: they do not cause chronic liver disease. Most people recover fully within weeks to months. Hepatitis A has a vaccine, and Hepatitis E is usually self-limiting but can be severe in pregnant women."

Who Is Most At Risk?

Hepatitis A tends to affect people who fall under these categories:

  • Travellers
  • People living in areas with poor sanitation
  • Unvaccinated individuals
  • Children

Hepatitis transmission can only be identified through diagnostic testing, so seeking timely medical testing is necessary if you experience any symptoms.

Hepatitis B: The Vaccine-Preventable Liver Infection

Dr Vineet Kumar Gupta explains, "Hepatitis B spreads through blood, unsafe injections, sexual contact, and from mother during birth."

He adds, "Many infections in adults are acute and resolve, but if contracted at birth or in childhood, they often become chronic."

He warns, "Long-term effects include cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Hepatitis B is vaccine-preventable and also has effective antiviral treatment to suppress the virus."

Symptoms

  • Joint pain
  • Fatigue
  • Dark urine
  • Jaundice
  • Loss of appetite

Who Is Most At Risk?

Hepatitis B tends to pose health risks to people who are

  • Healthcare workers
  • Infants born to infected mothers
  • People with multiple sexual partners
  • Individuals requiring frequent blood products

Hepatitis C: The Silent Infection

Dr Gupta highlights, "Hepatitis C spreads primarily through blood-exposed equipment. It is usually 'silent' in the early years."

He pinpoints, "About 70-80% of people develop a chronic infection which can silently progress over 20-30 years to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma."

Dr Gupta highlights, "The breakthrough is that Hepatitis C is now curable in >95% of cases with 8-12 weeks of oral antivirals."

Symptoms

  • Often symptomless initially
  • Fatigue
  • Liver damage detected years later

Who Is Most At Risk?

Hepatitis C tends to affect people who are:

  • Injection drug users
  • Patients exposed to unscreened blood
  • People undergoing repeated medical procedures

Hepatitis: D: The Rare But Severe Co-Infection

Dr Vineet Kumar Gupta explains, "Hepatitis D only occurs in people already infected with hepatitis B. It worsens liver damage and accelerates progression to cirrhosis."

Symptoms

  • Similar to Hepatitis B
  • More severe liver injury

How It Spreads

Research published in the JAMA journal pinpoints that hepatitis D can spread through the following:

  • Contact with infected blood
  • Shared needles or syringes
  • Unprotected sex
  • From an infected mother to a baby (less common)
  • Requires a Hepatitis B infection to survive.

Who Is Most At Risk?

  • Hepatitis D causes more severe liver damage than hepatitis B alone. It is linked to:
  • Faster progression to liver cirrhosis (scarring)
  • Higher risk of liver failure
  • Increased risk of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)
  • People already infected with Hepatitis B
  • High-risk blood-exposure groups

Hepatitis E: A Growing Concern In Developing Countries

The Lancet journal highlights that hepatitis E is rare but poses a growing health concern in developing countries. It is important to identify Hepatitis E on time, as it doesn't have a great prognosis in those who have pre-existing chronic liver disease and is frequently misdiagnosed as drug-induced liver injury.

Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Jaundice
  • Weakness

How It Spreads

  • Contaminated water
  • Poor sanitation

Who Is Most At Risk?

  • Pregnant women
  • Travellers
  • People in outbreak-prone regions

Comparing The 5 Types Of Viral Hepatitis

Among the 5 types of viral hepatitis, there are varied ways to distinguish them and understand their nature of infection.

Mode of transmission: 

  • Hepatitis A: Food and contaminated water intake
  • Hepatitis B: Blood, unsafe injections, sexual contact, and from the mother during birth.
  • Hepatitis C: Through blood exposure to equipment
  • Hepatitis D: occurs in people who are already infected with hepatitis B.
  • Vaccine availability: There is a highly effective vaccine available worldwide for hepatitis A and B. WHO considers HBV vaccination a cornerstone of prevention of most hepatitis strains.
  • Acute vs. chronic disease: When viral hepatitis infects people in early infancy or childhood, the chance of chronic infection is highest.
  • Risk of liver cancer: Dr Gupta highlights that hepatitis B, C, and D can turn into liver cancer.

Warning Signs Of Hepatitis You Should Never Ignore

Hepatitis symptoms serve as warning signs that you need to address promptly to treat hepatitis before it progresses to a serious infection and causes internal damage. Here are the signs that you need to be aware of:

  • Yellowing of skin and eyes
  • Dark urine
  • Persistent fatigue
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Pale stools

How To Protect Yourself From Viral Hepatitis

Viral hepatitis can be controlled through vaccination, safe hygiene practices, and blood-borne exposure. You need to be medically careful while getting medical treatments, such as blood transfusions and donating blood.

  • Vaccination: Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
  • Safe Hygiene Practices: Clean food and safe drinking water, handwashing
  • Reduce Blood-Borne Exposure: Safe injections, screened blood products and protected sex

Who Should Get Screened For Hepatitis?

The screening for hepatitis should be prioritised by people who are most at risk. People who are

  • Healthcare workers
  • Pregnant women
  • People with high-risk sexual exposure
  • Injection drug users
  • Individuals with unexplained liver abnormalities

On World Hepatitis Day, it is important to make conscious efforts to curb the spread of different types of hepatitis. Identifying the signs of each strain and taking medical screening seriously can help stop the progression of serious disease.

Also Read: Are Protein Powders Silently Harming Your Liver? Gastroenterologist Answers



Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.