| As we mentioned in previous articles, hepatitis is | | | | fluid, IV drug abusers sharing needles or someone |
| characterized by the destruction of a number of | | | | using tainted needles. Hepatitis C used to be the |
| liver cells and the presence of inflammatory cells | | | | most common type of hepatitis acquired through |
| in the liver tissue caused by excessive alcohol | | | | blood transfusions until a test for it became |
| drinking, disorders of the gall bladder or pancreas, | | | | available in the 1980s. Hepatitis C causes |
| including medication side effects, and infections. | | | | inflammation of the liver resulting in liver damage |
| There are many other infective agents that can | | | | that can lead to cancer. It also commonly leads to |
| cause inflammation of the liver, or hepatitis. | | | | chronic liver inflammation and slowly damagesthe |
| However, the term is unfortunately commonly | | | | liver over a long period of time before leading to |
| used to refer to a particular group of viruses such | | | | cirrhosis of the liver, that means scar tissue |
| as Hepatitis A, B, and C. | | | | replacing normal, healthy tissue in result of blocking |
| In this article we will discuss types of hepatitis, | | | | the flow of blood through the liver and preventing |
| there are 5: | | | | it from from working as it should. |
| 1. Hepatitis A (HAV) | | | | 4. Hepatitis D (HDV) |
| Hepatitis A causes swelling and inflammation in the | | | | Hepatitis D is caused by the virus HDV. You can |
| liver and is very common in underdeveloped | | | | only get hepatitis D if you are already infected |
| countries, resulting in drinking water or eating food | | | | with hepatitis B. Hepatitis D also causes |
| that is infected by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It | | | | inflammation of liver and is transmitted through |
| can also be transmitted through sexual | | | | infected blood, needles and sexual contact with |
| intercourse. This type of hepatitis usually has slow | | | | with a person infected with HDV. |
| onset and most people fully recover. Hepatitis A | | | | 5. Hepatitis E (HEV) |
| can be discovered by blood testing. | | | | Similar to hepatitis A, hepatitis E is also caused by |
| 2. Hepatitis B (HBV) | | | | drinking water or eating food that os infected by |
| Hepatitis B virus is most often contracted via | | | | the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It can also be |
| blood contact such as blood, semen, body fluids, | | | | transmitted through sexual intercourse causing |
| IV drug abusers sharing needles or someone using | | | | temporary swelling of the liver and no long term |
| tainted needles. It can also be transmitted through | | | | damage to it. |
| sexual contact and from mother to baby during | | | | I hope this information will help. If you need more |
| childbirth. Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the | | | | information of the above subject, please visit my |
| liver leading to a serious infection that can cause | | | | home page at: |
| liver damage, which may result in cancer. | | | | Kyle J. Norton |
| 3. Hepatitis C (HCV) | | | | All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article |
| Hepatitis C, like hepatitis B is spread via blood and | | | | must have all the links intact. |
| body-fluid contact such as blood, semen, body | | | | |