Hepatitis

Hepatitis

Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, can be caused by a number of substances, including viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms, toxic chemicals, and alcohol and other drugs. Viral hepatitis is the most common cause of hepatitis. The most common types of viral hepatitis in the United States are hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV). Nearly 500,000 people are infected each year and approximately 5 million Americans are chronically affected by one of these three types of hepatitis. Other forms of viral hepatitis currently identified are hepatitis D (HDV), hepatitis E (HEV), hepatitis F (HFV), and hepatitis G (HGV). Both HBV and HCV can lead to serious, permanent liver damage and, in many cases, death. Through immunization, HAV and HBV can be prevented.

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Liver damage from toxic chemicals is responsible for most cases of hepatitis.

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There are two primary types of viral hepatitis:food-borne and blood-borne. Food borne hepatitis does not cause chronic liver disease. However, the various forms of blood-borne hepatitis may lead to long-term, persistent infections and chronic liver disease that may have lethal consequences many years after the original infection.

Clinical symptoms common to all forms of hepatitis include:

Jaundice and clay colored stools, resulting from impaired conjugated bilirubin excretion
Dark urine, resulting from urobilinogen being excreted in the urine
Abdominal pain, caused by stretching of Glisson's capsule surrounding the liver
Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, caused by alterations in digestion
Fatigue and weakness, due to reduced energy metabolism by the liver
Fever, flu-like symptoms, muscle or joint pains, caused by the inflammatory process
Pruritis, caused by bile salt accumulation in the skin
Bleeding tendencies, due to decreased prothrombin synthesis and reduced Vitamin K absorption

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Blood-borne hepatitis may lead to chronic liver disease and death.

TRUE or FALSE