What is Viral Hepatitis?

Viral Hepatitis
Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver (A-C, T1-weighted spoiled gradient-echo image), and histology of surgical specimens (D-E). The right lobe mass (arrow) appears as a high-intensity lesion during the arterial phase (A) with delayed wash-out (B: portal phase, C: delayed phase). The satellite lesion (arrowhead) in the left lobe has peripheral signal enhancement and a slightly higher signal in the central area during the arterial and portal phases (A, B), and a low-intensity signal during the delayed phase (C). D: Frozen section pathology, a well-differentiated cholangiocarcinoma. E: Edmondson-Steiner grade II/III, trabecular- and pseudoglandular-type hepatocellular carcinoma. (H&E, D, E: ×200). Synchronous development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in different sites of the liver with chronic B-viral hepatitis: two case reports: Jung KS, Chun KH, Choi GH, Jeon HM, Shin HS, Park YN, Park JY - BMC research notes (2013). Not altered. CC.

Viral hepatitis is an infection that causes liver inflammation and damage

Examples of viral hepatitis include: 

  • Hepatitis A virus
  • Hepatitis B virus
  • Hepatitis C virus
  • Hepatitis D virus
  • Hepatitis E virus

What is Hepatitis A Virus?

Hepatitis A virus is an inflammation transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infectious person.

What is Hepatitis B Virus?

Hepatitis B virus is a vaccine-preventable liver infection spread when blood, semen, or other body fluids from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected.

What is Hepatitis C Virus?

Hepatitis C virus is a  liver infection spread through contact with blood from an infected person.

What is Hepatitis D Virus?

Hepatitis D virus is  an infection that causes the liver to become inflamed.

What is Hepatitis E Virus?

Hepatitis E virus is a liver infection spread mainly through the fecal-oral transmission route.

What is the Pathology of Viral Hepatitis?

The pathology of viral hepatitis is:

-Etiology: The cause of viral hepatitis a viral infection.

-Genes involved: None.

-Pathogenesis: The sequence of events that lead to viral hepatitis as follows:

  • Hepatitis A: Unknown.
  • Hepatitis B: Interaction of the virus and the host immune system.
  • Hepatitis C: Host immunity and metabolic changes including oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis.
  • Hepatitis D: Interferon-α signaling inhibition, HDV-specific T-lymphocyte activation, and cytokine responses, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nuclear factor kappa B signaling.
  • Hepatitis E: poorly understood and unspecific.

-Histology: The histology associated with viral hepatitis may show confluent necrosis, bridging necrosis, necrosis of entire lobules, and periportal necrosis.

How does Viral Hepatitis Present?

Patients with viral hepatitis typically affect males present in the age range of 35-55. The symptoms, features, and clinical findings associated with acute HAV infection are marked by several weeks of malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and elevated aminotransferase levels. HBV and HCV are asymptomatic, however, the chronic HBV and HCV show fatigue. The HDV and HEV show the same clinical feature too.

How is Viral Hepatitis Diagnosed?

Viral hepatitis is diagnosed through a blood test.

How is Viral HepatitisTreated?

Viral hepatitis is treated by resting, resolving symptoms (pegylated interferon and ribavirin), and maintaining an adequate intake of fluids. 

What is the Prognosis of Viral Hepatitis?

The prognosis of viral hepatitis A is good with an overall mortality of 0.02%, HBV is good as patients recover fully, HCV is fair with the clear virus within 6 months, HDV and HEV are good and patients recover fully.

Viral HepatitisHepatitis AHepatitis BHepatitis CHepatitis DHepatitis E
TransmissionFecal-oralbloodbloodbloodFecal-oral
Incubation15-45 days45-160 days15-150 days30-60 days15-60 days
TreatmentNo specific treatmentAntiviral medicationsAntivirals, Combination drugsNo known treatmentsNo specific antiviral therapy
PrognosisGood GoodFairGoodGood