According to WHO (World Health Organization), 30% of the world's population suffers from some pathology of the liver. Statistics indicate a constant increase in morbidity and mortality in patients with hepatitis and their complications (liver cancer, cirrhosis, hepatosis).
One of the leading causes of the indicators increasing are viral hepatitis.
Symptoms of viral hepatitis
- Jaundice is a symptom complex, including yellowing of the skin, sclera and mucous membranes. Visible disease accompanies not all cases of hepatitis. In some situations, laboratory diagnostics may not be useful enough;
- change of urine color (becomes dark);
- eruptions on the skin (as a consequence of intoxication), itchy skin;
- fever, weakness;
- pain in muscles and joints;
- nausea, vomiting;
- weight loss, bleeding of mucous membranes.
Learn more about the methods of diagnostics, treatment, and prevention of the various types of viral hepatitis you can on the Bookimed website.
What are the complications of chronic hepatitis?
Hepatitis C is the most widespread kind of chronic hepatitis. Because of chronic hepatitis, the following conditions and diseases can develop:
- Indigestion;
- Diseases of bile ducts (dyskinesia, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis);
- Cirrhosis (functional insufficiency, in combination with dystrophy) of the liver;
- The hepatic coma. The condition occurs because of viral hepatitis. The features of the hepatic coma are the loss of consciousness by a patient, smell of ammonia, a muscle spasm. A patient may die from the reflex stop of breathing;
- Liver cancer. Due to the constant cell death during hepatitis, the risk of malignancy increases;
- Immunodeficiency in combination with a permanent dysbiosis. This stage of the disease is characterized by an exacerbation of chronic viral and bacterial infections. A patient is easily infected (for example, respiratory diseases, herpes).
Hepatitis transmitting and progressing | |
|---|---|
Type of virus | How is it transmitted? |
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) | Can be transmitted by using contaminated products, through handshakes, during sex. There are no significant intoxication and jaundice (sometimes asymptomatically), forms lifelong immunity. To prevent infection, scientists have developed a vaccine. |
Hepatitis B (HBV) | It is transported together with the body fluids. The body is infected by contact with blood, sperm, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva. Can be transmitted in utero, during the feeding. A standard way of transmission is with donor blood, and also when sharing a syringe (drug addiction). Health workers are infected with hepatitis B when needling the skin of an infected patient. For treating this type of hepatitis a vaccine exists. |
Hepatitis C (HCV) | It is transmitted mainly through blood or unprotected sexual intercourse. Vaccines for HCV treatment do not exist. There is high mortality associated with complications of this form of viral hepatitis. |
Hepatitis D (HDV) | It develops in patients with hepatitis B. Because of the structural features; the virus D cannot infect a healthy person. But it complicates the course of viral hepatitis. Hepatitis D is treated with such options as hepatitis B (vaccine, safe blood transfusions, and sexual intercourse). |
Hepatitis E (HEV) | It spreads through water and food products. It provokes outbreaks of hepatitis. Mexico, Central, and North Africa present the most significant number of hepatitis E cases. The vaccine is available, but it is not enough in the mentioned countries due to the features of health care system. You should take it into account when visiting these regions. |