Hepatitis: Types, History, Causes and Treatment

Disease - causes, symptoms and remedies
Priya Singh
February 26, 2023
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8 minutes read

Hepatitis: Some of us might not know what hepatitis is. With the help of this article, we will provide you with the necessary information regarding this whole topic. Hepatitis is a viral infection caused inside the liver. It causes inflammation in the liver.

It is a severe problem caused due to excessive liquor consumption or various infectious attacks on the lungs. However, it is not the only reason. It can also be caused by the consumption of medicines, as some medications are strong and cause harm to the lungs.

There are various kinds of hepatitis; however, the most common among all of them is autoimmune hepatitis. It is a viral infection that produces antibodies against the liver tissue. It causes direct harm to the liver and its tissues. It is usually caused due to the consumption of excessive drugs and medicines; however, it is not the only reason for autoimmune hepatitis.

Table of Contents

History Of Hepatitis

Hepatitis is considered one of the most ancient and fatal diseases in the history of the world diseases. And till now, it has been a global disease. Hepatitis was first observed in the 18th – 19th century. Hepatitis is an epidemic jaundice that is a worse disease. The first patient of hepatitis was seen in the association of military campaigns. Back in time treated hepatitis with the vaccine for smallpox as there was no specific medication for this disease. It was celebrated in remembrance of Dr Blumberg, the scientist who discovered type B hepatitis.

Types Of Hepatitis

There are five types of hepatitis seen among people. However, antibodies can easily define from which hepatitis you’re suffering. Some of the hepatitis is given as follows:

1. Hepatitis A

A viral infection causes hepatitis A. It is the result of the hepatitis A virus ( HAV ). It can be treated with some medicine as it is not a severe disease and is easily treatable. It is said that it is the first stage of chronic hepatitis.

2. Hepatitis B

It is caused due to the hepatitis B virus ( HBV ). It is considered chronic and takes time to get better. There are billions of people suffering from hepatitis B; however, the estimate increases yearly.

3. Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is caused by HCV. It is one of the most seen diseases among people nowadays. It is an infection that gets mixed with the blood in the body and reaches all the parts of the body. Though it is treatable, it takes a long time for the patient to recover.

4. Hepatitis D

It is seen as rare among people. The cases of Hepatitis B are comparatively less if estimated. It is the complimentary infection that occurs with hepatitis B. it causes various lung issues due to excessive inflammation. It is a chronic disease and takes a long time to recover.

5. Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is caused due to some infections caused by water. It is a chronic disease and needs to be medicated quickly. It causes great harm to the health of pregnant women. Hepatitis E is mainly found in slum areas as people lack trained hygienic environments and clear water. Cases of hepatitis B are pretty rare to see.

Causes of hepatitis

There are different types of hepatitis; however, it all is caused due to various reasons. Once you can find the cause of hepatitis, it will be easy to identify the exact type of hepatitis you’ve been suffering from. Some causes of hepatitis are as follows:

Type of hepatitis	The common mean of transmission
Hepatitis A	Contaminated food or water with HAV
Hepatitis B	Contact with body fluids containing HBV
Hepatitis C	Contact with body fluids containing HCV
Hepatitis D	Contact with blood containing
Hepatitis E	Exposure to HEV in food or water

Common Symptoms of Hepatitis

Every disease has a different impact on the body. Likewise, every type of hepatitis affects a person’s body differently. It is seen that usually hepatitis A, D, and E are not that chronic and can be sensed in starting. However, hepatitis B and C are chronic infections that can cause complete damage to that part. With the help of the symptoms below, you can define the types of conditions. There are some common symptoms of hepatitis which are as follows:

Loss of appetite
Headache
Pale skin
Pale stool
Symptoms of flu
Fatigue
Weight loss
Jaundice
Dark urine

How Is Hepatitis Treated?

Type of hepatitis	Type of illness	Symptoms	Treatment
Hepatitis A	Short-term illness	Vomiting and diarrhoea	Can be treated with bed rest and proper medications
Hepatitis B	Chronic illness	Headache, dark urine	Take proper antiviral medication and regular monitoring of the liver and other parts.
Hepatitis C	Acute and chronic illness	Cirrhosis	Prefer having antiviral drug therapy or a liver transplant
Hepatitis D	Short–term illness	Psychiatric illness	Take proper medication along with no consumption of alcohol
Hepatitis E	Acute illness	Pale skin and stool	Consumption of fluid, avoid having alcohol, and pregnant women should take care of their health more as it can cause chronic illness.

Conclusion

World hepatitis day is a global event held worldwide every year. It helps raise awareness among the people about the causes ad preventive measures against hepatitis. WHO organizes various seminars and programs for people. So that they can gain more and more energy about hepatitis.

FAQs on Hepatitis

Why is hepatitis called a killer?

Hepatitis is called the silent killer because you cannot even guess that you have hepatitis till it damages your lungs. It causes a slight inflammation in the liver, which is not enough to discover whether you have hepatitis.