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Hepatitis is a general name for a group of serious diseases that affect the liver. Hepatitis often refers to infectious hepatitis, which includes hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, hepatitis E. Each of these types of hepatitis are caused by the hepatitis virus of the same name, such as the hepatitis A virus. The most common forms of hepatitis in the U.S. are hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
There is also a type of hepatitis called chronic hepatitis, which can develop as a complication of viral hepatitis or from other conditions, such as a severe medication reaction or from autoimmune hepatitis. Hepatitis can also result from excessive amounts of alcohol and overdoses of certain medications, including Tylenol (acetaminophen).
All forms of hepatitis cause an inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ, and normal functioning of the liver is crucial to health and life. Hepatitis can reduce the liver's ability to do its vital job in helping the body to fight infection, stop bleeding, clear the blood of toxins, store energy, produce healthy blood, digest food and remove waste.
There are differences in the way that the various forms of infectious hepatitis are passed from person to person and how they progress. Symptoms of hepatitis also differ between individuals depending on such variables as the specific type of hepatitis, age, medical history, the presence of complications and general health.
Symptoms common to hepatitis include flu-like symptoms, fever, headache, nausea, muscle aches and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Complications can be serious, even life-threatening, and include the development of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and increased risk of liver cancer, and liver failure. For more information on symptoms and complications, refer to symptoms of hepatitis.
Making a diagnosis of hepatitis includes performing a complete medical evaluation and history and physical examination. This includes questioning about risk factors for contracting hepatitis, such as being sexually active outside of a monogamous relationship, living in or travelling to places with poor sanitation, and being an IV drug abuser who shares needles.
Blood tests include tests that can check for the viruses that cause hepatitis. Liver function tests are blood tests that can help to determine the level of severity of hepatitis by checking level of functioning of the liver and if there is any damage to the liver.
Imaging tests that create a picture of the liver and may be performed in some cases include an ultrasound, CT, and/or a nuclear liver scan.
It is possible that a diagnosis of hepatitis can be missed or delayed because symptoms can be vague or there may be no symptoms in some people in some forms of the disease. For more information on misdiagnosis, refer to misdiagnosis of hepatitis.
Treatment of hepatitis includes rest and ensuring good nutrition. For serious cases, especially if there is liver damage, hospitalization may be necessary. Treatment in the hospital may include medications, a liver biopsy, and other diagnostic testing and treatment. For more information on treatment, refer to treatment of hepatitis. ...more »
Hepatitis: Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by certain viruses and other factors, such as alcohol abuse, some medications, and trauma. Its various forms ... more about Hepatitis.
Hepatitis: Any type of liver inflammation or infection. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Hepatitis is available below.
Symptoms of hepatitis can differ between individuals depending on such variables as the specific type of hepatitis, age, medical history, the presence of complications and general health.
Symptoms common to most forms of hepatitis include flu-like symptoms, fever, headache, nausea, muscle aches and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.
Young children often ...more symptoms »
The most effective treatment plan for hepatitis uses a multifaceted approach and varies depending on the specific type of hepatitis. Treatment plans are individualized to best fit the patient's age, medical history, and type and stage of the disease. The goal of treatment is to stop or slow the progression of damage to the liver and minimize and quickly treat any complications, such as ...more treatments »
A diagnosis of hepatitis may be overlooked or delayed because in its early stages there may be no symptoms. In addition, symptoms, such as flu-like symptoms, fever, poor appetite, fatigue, and weakness, may be attributed to other diseases and conditions, such as flu, gallstones and peptic ulcer. ...more misdiagnosis »
See full list of 35 symptoms of Hepatitis
See full list of 12 treatments for Hepatitis
Home medical testing related to Hepatitis:
Read more about Deaths and Hepatitis.
Alternative treatments or home remedies that have been listed in various sources as possibly beneficial for Hepatitis may include:
See full list of 15 Types of Hepatitis
Possibly curable types of Hepatitis include:
Rare types of Hepatitis include:
Review possible medical complications related to Hepatitis:
See full list of 42 causes of Hepatitis
More information about causes of Hepatitis:
Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Hepatitis:
Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:
Chronic digestive conditions often misdiagnosed: When diagnosing chronic symptoms of the digestive tract, there are a variety of conditions that may be misdiagnosed. The best known, irritable bowel...read more »
Intestinal bacteria disorder may be hidden cause: One of the lesser known causes of diarrhea is an imbalance of bacterial in the gut, sometimes called intestinal imbalance. The digestive system...read more »
Antibiotics often causes diarrhea: The use of antibiotics are very likely to cause some level of diarrhea in patients. The reason is that antibiotics kill off...read more »
Food poisoning may actually be an infectious disease: Many people who come down with "stomach symptoms" like diarrhea assume that it's "something I ate" (i.e. food poisoning). In fact, it's more likely to be an infectious...read more »
Mesenteric adenitis misdiagnosed as appendicitis in children: Because appendicitis is one of the more feared conditions for a child with abdominal pain, it can be over-diagnosed (it can, of course, also fail to be diagnosed...read more »
Celiac disease often fails to be diagnosed cause of chronic digestive symptoms: One of the most common chronic digestive conditions is celiac disease, a malabsorption disorder with a variety of symptoms (see symptoms of celiac...read more »
Chronic liver disease often undiagnosed: One study reported that 50% of patients with a chronic liver disease remain undiagnosed by their primary physician. The reasons are multifactorial. Possible conditions include ...read more »
Chronic digestive diseases hard to diagnose: There is an inherent difficulty in diagnosing the various types of chronic digestive diseases. Some of the...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Hepatitis
Research related physicians and medical specialists:
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Research quality ratings and patient safety measures for medical facilities in specialties related to Hepatitis:
Hospital & Clinic quality ratings »
Choosing the Best Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Hepatitis, on hospital performance and surgical care quality:
Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:
See full list of 8 latest treatments for Hepatitis
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Visit our research pages for current research about Hepatitis treatments.
The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Hepatitis include:
See full list of 498 Clinical Trials for Hepatitis
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Read about other experiences, ask a question about Hepatitis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by certain viruses and other factors, such as alcohol abuse, some medications, and trauma. Its various forms affect millions of Americans. Although many cases of hepatitis are not a serious threat to health, the disease can become chronic (long-lasting) and can sometimes lead to liver failure and death. (Source: excerpt from Hepatitis: NWHIC)
Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus or a toxin - (Source - WordNet 2.1)
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