World Hepatitis Day: All you need to know about the viruses, its symptoms and prevention

Viral Hepatitis is a serious illness caused due to the inflammation of the liver. The illness can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.  According to WHO’s latest report, 52 million people in India have chronic Hepatitis.

Depending on the type virus, there are five kinds of Hepatitis: A, B, C, D and E.

Here is how you can prevent and watch out for the condition—

Hepatitis A (HAV)

This is caused by Hepatitis A virus. It is spread through ingestion of food and water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. While it is not known to cause liver cancer or cirrhosis, it can lead to liver failure.

Symptoms: Fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).

Prevention: Adequate supplies of safe drinking water, proper disposal of sewage within communities, personal hygiene practices such as regular hand-washing with safe water, vaccination.

Hepatitis B (HBV)

This is caused by the Hepatitis B virus and is caused due to contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. It can acute and chronic illness and can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Symptoms: In the acute phase, the symptoms are jaundice, dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. A small subset of persons with acute hepatitis can develop acute liver failure which can lead to death.

In some people, the hepatitis B virus can also cause a chronic liver infection that can later develop into cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.

Prevention: Vaccination, Safe blood transfusion, safe sex.

Hepatitis C (HCV)

Hepatitis C virus leads to this kind of illness. Hepatitis C causes acute and chronic infection but, as per WHO, 15-45% patients spontaneously clear the virus within six months of infection without any treatment.

Around 55–85% of persons will develop chronic HCV infection, out which 15–30% could get liver cirrhosis within 20 years.

Symptoms: Around 80% of people do not exhibit any symptoms. Those with acute symptoms could show fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, grey-coloured faeces, joint pain and jaundice.

Prevention: Hepatitis C is blood-borne illness and can be prevented by safe sex and safe blood transfusion. There are no vaccines available for the illness.

Hepatitis D (HDV)

This is caused by the Hepatitis D virus and occurs only in the presence of hepatitis B virus, leading to a super infection which more serious than HBV.

Symptoms: According to WHO, with "Acute hepatitis: simultaneous infection with HBV and HDV can lead to a mild-to-severe or even fulminant hepatitis, but recovery is usually complete and development of chronic hepatitis D is rare (less than 5% of acute hepatitis)… HDV can infect a person already chronically infected with HBV. The superinfection of HDV on chronic hepatitis B accelerates progression to a more severe disease in all ages and in 70‒90% of persons. HDV superinfection accelerates progression to cirrhosis almost a decade earlier than HBV monoinfected persons, although HDV suppresses HBV replication. The mechanism in which HDV causes more severe hepatitis and a faster progression of fibrosis than HBV alone remains unclear."

Prevention: Vaccination for Hepatitis B.

Hepatitis E (HEV)

This type of the disease is caused by Hepatitis E virus and spreads through ingestion of food and water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.

Symptoms: An initial phase of mild fever, reduced appetite (anorexia), nausea and vomiting, lasting for a few days; some persons may also have abdominal pain, itching (without skin lesions), skin rash, or joint pain. Jaundice (yellow discolouration of the skin and sclera of the eyes), with dark urine and pale stools; and a slightly enlarged, tender liver (hepatomegaly)

Prevention: Maintaining quality standards for public water supplies and establishing proper disposal systems for human faeces are good ways to prevent this disease.

On an individual level, infection risk can be reduced by:

— maintaining hygienic practices such as hand-washing with safe water, particularly before handling food;

— avoiding consumption of water and/or ice of unknown purity; and
adhering to WHO safe food practices.