Viral Hepatitis
1.
Hepatitis Viruses
|
Hepatitis |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
|
Family |
Picornavirus |
Hepadnavirus |
Flavivirus |
Delta
virus |
Calicivirus |
|
Transmission |
Fecal-oral Food Water Blood |
Sexual Blood Perinatal |
Paraenteral
via blood |
Sexual Blood perinatal |
Fecal-oral Water-borne |
|
Acute
disease |
Mild
or moderate |
Moderate |
Mild
or moderate |
Severe |
Severe
in pregnancy |
|
Serodiagnosis |
IgM |
HBsAg |
IgM |
IgM |
IgM |
|
Chronic
carrier state |
No |
Yes
(5-10%) |
Yes
(50%) |
Yes
(>50%) |
No |
|
Chronic
hepatitis, cirrhosis |
No |
1-5% |
20% |
>50% |
No |
|
Liver
cancer |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
NO |
2.
Other viruses that cause hepatitis as part of generalized infections are
yellow fever, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and congenital rubella.
3.
General features
a.
Symptoms:
i.
Jaundice: raised bilirubin, dark bile-containing urine, pale stools.
ii.
fever, anorexia, nausea and malaise
b.
Liver function tests are abnormal, with raised transaminase levels.
c.
Symptomless infection is common.
d.
Complications:
i.
Fulminant hepatitis with massive liver necrosis
ii.
chronic hepatitis
iii.
primary hepatocellular carcinoma