Getting to Know the Five Types of Hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are five hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D, and E. Each has different transmission routes and severity levels, but all attack the liver.
Hepatitis B, C, and D deserve special attention because they can cause chronic infection that over time develops into cirrhosis (liver scarring) or liver cancer. Chronically infected patients risk premature death if untreated.
Hepatitis Symptoms to Watch For
According to WHO, many people with hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E show only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Symptoms that may appear include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, dark-coloured urine, and yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.
In acute hepatitis B, symptoms usually appear 1 to several months after infection: abdominal pain, dark urine, fever, joint pain, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue. Some people — especially children — may show no symptoms at all. If you experience these symptoms, consult a doctor or health facility for examination promptly.
How Each Type Spreads
Hepatitis A and E spread via the faecal-oral route — for example through food or drinking water contaminated with an infected person's stool. The virus therefore spreads easily in areas with poor sanitation or poor personal hygiene.
Hepatitis B, C, and D spread through blood and body fluids — for example via unsafe blood transfusions, shared needles, unprotected sex, and mother-to-child transmission during childbirth. Hepatitis D is only found in people already infected with hepatitis B, and the dual infection can accelerate liver damage.
Prevention: Vaccines and Clean Habits
The good news is that most hepatitis harm is preventable. According to WHO, safe and effective vaccines exist to prevent hepatitis B infection — when given at birth, the vaccine greatly reduces mother-to-child transmission risk. Hepatitis B vaccination also protects against hepatitis D infection. Vaccines also exist for hepatitis A and E.
For hepatitis A, practice clean habits: wash hands diligently with soap, eat well-cooked food, and drink clean water. Hepatitis C has no vaccine yet, but modern antiviral medicines can cure more than 95 percent of patients. Consult your doctor about the right vaccination and screening schedule for you and your family.
