5 Different Types of Hepatitis

stive Disease Specialists in Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa, our team helps patients maintain optimal liver health with hepatitis screening and vaccines, along with lifestyle guidance focused on avoiding habits that can damage your liver. 

In this post, learn about five types of hepatitis and how they’re treated or prevented.

Understanding the ABCs of hepatitis

The five primary types of hepatitis are caused by five different subtypes of the hepatitis virus. Each type of hepatitis is named for the subtype that causes it — hepatitis virus A, B, C, D, or E.

Hepatitis A

Like most types of viral hepatitis, hepatitis A is contracted through contact with contaminated food or water or through close contact with an infected person. 

Hepatitis A causes your liver to become inflamed, but in most cases, it clears up with proper medical treatment. You’ll also need to avoid alcohol and certain medications that are metabolized by your liver.

In the rare instances when the virus doesn’t clear up, it can lead to liver damage and life-threatening consequences. While prompt medical care is essential for existing disease, the hepatitis A vaccine can help you avoid the disease entirely.

The CDC recommends kids get their first dose of the vaccine by 23 months of age and the second dose six months later. 

They also recommend the vaccine for anyone else who wants to be protected from the virus and for people who are at increased risk of developing an infection, including people with chronic liver disease, those who travel internationally, and people infected with HIV.

Hepatitis B

As many as 730,000-2 million Americans are infected with hepatitis B, a virus that can cause chronic liver disease and liver failure while also increasing your risk of developing liver cancer. 

Hepatitis B is passed through contact with infected bodily fluids, including semen, blood, and saliva. Unfortunately, the virus can be difficult to detect in its early stages, and some people won’t know they’re infected until serious complications occur.

Hepatitis B infections are treated with antiviral medications and supportive care to protect your liver. Having a blood test can diagnose infection early, and like hepatitis A, hepatitis B may be prevented with a vaccine. 

The CDC recommends the vaccine for infants, unvaccinated kids up to age 19, all adults 19-59 years old, and adults 60 and older with risk factors or who want protection against the virus.

Hepatitis C

The most common type of hepatitis infection in the United States, hepatitis C affects 2.4-4 million Americans. Hepatitis C is spread through contact with infected blood. It’s common among people who share needles, but infection can also occur in other ways, including contact with infected objects (like scissors, toothbrushes, or tattooing devices), and even during birth when the virus can be passed from an infected mother to her child.

While some people may recover from their infections with supportive care, most people develop a chronic infection that can lead to liver failure, liver cancer, and even death. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the US and a leading cause of liver cancer as well.

There’s no hepatitis C vaccine, and the disease frequently causes no symptoms until serious problems occur. For this reason, the CDC recommends hepatitis C screening for all adults and all pregnant women, as well as anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the virus.

Hepatitis D

This type of hepatitis is uncommon and only occurs in people who are also infected with hepatitis B. Hepatitis D infection is associated with severe symptoms. There’s no vaccine for hepatitis D, but getting the hepatitis B vaccine will also help prevent you from becoming infected with hepatitis D.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E infections are rare in the US. Passed through contact with infected food or water, this infection is common in countries with poor sanitation practices. There’s no vaccine for hepatitis E, and most people recover from the infection with medical treatment and supportive care. Chronic infections can occur in people with compromised immunity.

Protect your liver

Like other viral infections, hepatitis responds best when treated early. That’s why screening and vaccination are so important.

To learn more about hepatitis or to schedule a screening or vaccination, book an appointment online or over the phone with Digestive Disease Specialists today.