Overview
Viral hepatitis is a group of infections that affect the liver. The main types are hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, and they spread in different ways. Some infections clear on their own, while others may become chronic and damage the liver over time.
Key Symptoms
Symptoms can include tiredness, fever, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, belly pain, dark urine, pale stools, joint pain, and yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice). Some people, especially with hepatitis B or C, may have no symptoms for years. Symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the virus and the person's health.
Causes and Risk Factors
Hepatitis A and E are commonly linked to contaminated food or water and poor sanitation. Hepatitis B, C, and D are linked to contact with infected blood or body fluids, including from childbirth, unsterile needles or medical equipment, sharing injection equipment, tattooing or piercing with unclean tools, and unprotected sex for some types. Hepatitis D only occurs in people who also have hepatitis B.
Who Is Affected
Viral hepatitis can affect people of any age anywhere in the world. Risk may be higher in places with limited access to clean water, sanitation, vaccination, blood screening, or sterile medical equipment. Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B, people who inject drugs, healthcare workers with blood exposure risk, and people with certain sexual or household exposures may also be at higher risk.
Prevention
Vaccination can help prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and preventing hepatitis B also helps prevent hepatitis D. Other prevention steps include safe food and water practices, handwashing, safer sex, not sharing needles, razors, or toothbrushes, and making sure tattoos, piercings, and medical procedures use sterile equipment. Screening of blood products and testing during pregnancy are also important public health measures.
Diagnosis and Tests
Healthcare professionals diagnose viral hepatitis using blood tests that look for signs of liver inflammation and markers of specific hepatitis viruses. Additional tests may check how well the liver is working or look for liver scarring with imaging or other assessments. Because symptoms can be absent, testing is important for people with possible exposures or risk factors.
Treatment Categories
Treatment depends on the type of hepatitis and whether the infection is acute or chronic. Care may include monitoring, managing symptoms, treating complications, and for some types, antiviral medicines prescribed by a clinician. Chronic hepatitis B and C often need long-term follow-up to reduce the risk of liver damage.
Living With It
If you have viral hepatitis, regular follow-up is important even if you feel well. Tell your healthcare professional about all medicines, supplements, and traditional remedies you use, because some can affect the liver. You may also need advice about preventing transmission to others and whether close contacts should be tested or vaccinated.
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if you develop jaundice, dark urine, severe tiredness, ongoing nausea or vomiting, belly pain, or if you think you were exposed to hepatitis. Prompt care is also important during pregnancy, in newborns, or if you have existing liver disease or a weakened immune system. Testing and follow-up can help identify the type of hepatitis and guide next steps.
When It May Be an Emergency
Get urgent medical help right away for confusion, extreme sleepiness, trouble waking up, heavy bleeding, swelling of the abdomen, severe dehydration, or severe abdominal pain. These may be signs of serious liver problems or other complications that need immediate attention.