Learn About Hepatitis
Hepatitis is swelling and inflammation of the liver.
Hepatitis can be caused by:
- Immune cells in the body attacking the liver (autoimmune hepatitis)
- Infections from viruses (such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C), bacteria, or parasites
- Liver damage from alcohol or poison
- Medicines, such as an overdose of acetaminophen
- Fatty liver
Liver disease can also be caused by inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis or hemochromatosis, a condition that involves having too much iron in your body.
Other causes include Wilson disease, a disorder in which the body retains too much copper and ingestion of toxic mushrooms.
Common conditions include: Autoimmune Hepatitis, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
Hepatitis may start and get better quickly. It may also become a long-term condition. In some cases, hepatitis may lead to liver damage, liver failure, cirrhosis, liver cancer, or even death.
There are several factors that can affect how severe the condition is. These may include the cause of the liver damage and any illnesses you have. Hepatitis A, for example, is most often short-term and does not lead to chronic liver problems.
The symptoms of hepatitis include:
- Pain or bloating in the belly area
- Dark urine and pale or clay-colored stools
- Fatigue
- Low grade fever
- Itching
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weight loss
You may not have symptoms when first infected with hepatitis B or C. You can still develop liver failure later. If you have any risk factors for either type of hepatitis, ask your health care provider whether you should be tested for them.
Your provider will talk to you about treatment options. Treatments will vary, depending on the cause of your liver disease. You may need to eat a high-calorie diet if you are losing weight.
MD Anderson
Harrys Torres is an Infectious Disease provider in Houston, Texas. Dr. Torres is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hepatitis. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis C, Hepatitis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis E.
Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center - Green Spring Station, Lutherville
Mark Sulkowski, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Viral Hepatitis Center in the Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Gastroenterology/Hepatology in the Department of Medicine and is the Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Trials. He received his MD from Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (1992), pursued training in Internal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC (1995) and completed his Fellowship in Infectious Diseases (1998) at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prof. Sulkowski has been the principal investigator for more than 120 clinical trials related to the management of viral hepatitis B and C in persons with and without HIV co-infection. He was the global principal investigator for more than a dozen trials, including the largest clinical trial of agents for the treatment of hepatitis C (New England Journal of Medicine, 2009) and the vanguard study of combination therapy with direct inhibitors of the HCV NS5A and NS5B non-structural proteins (New England Journal of Medicine, 2014). He is the past-chair of the Hepatitis Transformative Sciences Group of the National Institute of Health-funded adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) where he led translational studies of liver disease, namely hepatitis B and C virus. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2011) and the American Association of Physicians (2017). Prof. Sulkowski is a member of numerous professional societies including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). With more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, he is widely published with works in Annals of Internal Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Journal of Hepatology, and Hepatology. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, he was named as a Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate Analytics) defined as the being in the top 1% of global researchers in 21 fields of the sciences and social sciences based on the number of citations for papers. As an invited lecturer, he has been frequently invited to present at major national and international medical congresses and has educated learners in more than 25 countries. Dr. Sulkowski is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hepatitis. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis C, Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis B.
Robert Gish is a Transplant Surgeon in Santa Rosa, California. Dr. Gish is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hepatitis. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis, Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Hepatitis C, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and Liver Transplant. Dr. Gish is currently accepting new patients.
More information and support for people with hepatitis and their families can be found by joining a support group. Ask your provider about liver disease resources and support groups in your area.
The outlook for hepatitis will depend on what is causing the liver damage and how severely the hepatitis has affected your liver.
Complications may include:
- Permanent liver damage, called cirrhosis
- Liver failure
- Liver cancer
Seek care immediately if you:
- Have symptoms from too much acetaminophen or other medicines. You may need to have your stomach pumped
- Vomit blood
- Have bloody or tarry stools
- Are confused or delirious
Contact your provider if:
- You have any symptoms of hepatitis or believe that you have been exposed to hepatitis A, B, or C.
- You cannot keep food down due to excessive vomiting. You may need to receive nutrition through a vein (intravenously).
- You feel sick and have traveled to Asia, Africa, South America, or Central America.
Talk to your provider about having a vaccine to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Avoid alcohol. Treat any underlying conditions that can lead to liver disease, including overweight/obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other metabolic disorders.
Steps for preventing the spread of hepatitis B and C from one person to another include:
- Avoid sharing personal items, such as razors or toothbrushes.
- DO NOT share drug needles or other drug equipment (such as straws for snorting drugs).
- Clean blood spills with a mixture of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water.
- DO NOT get tattoos or body piercings with instruments that have not been cleaned properly.
- Use safer sexual practices.
To reduce your risk for spreading or catching hepatitis A:
- Always wash your hands well after using the restroom, and when you come in contact with an infected person's blood, stools, or other bodily fluid.
- Avoid unclean food and water.
Summary: BEATRIX (group B strEptococcus mATeRnal and Infant VaX study) The purpose of this study is to learn about the safety and how the group B streptococcus (GBS) vaccine works in pregnant women and their babies. This study is seeking healthy pregnant participants: * aged 49 or younger who can join. * between 24 and 36 weeks of gestation (Gestational age is a medical term used to describe how far along ...
Summary: The goal of this research is to validate novel non-invasive Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers to detect Gastroesophageal varices (GEV) in patients with cirrhosis, including fractional flow change in the portal vein and elevated azygos flow. End-stage liver disease (cirrhosis) is characterized by advanced fibrosis, liver failure, and portal hypertension. There are many causes of cirrhosis...
Published Date: March 31, 2024
Published By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Aria - Jefferson Health Torresdale, Jefferson Digestive Diseases Network, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Viral hepatitis surveillance and case management. www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/php/surveillance-guidance/. Updated February 29, 2024. Accessed October 29, 2025.
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Pawlotsky J-M. Chronic viral and autoimmune hepatitis. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 135.
Takyar V, Ghany MG. Hepatitis A, B, D, and E. In: Kellerman RD, Rakel DP, Heidelbaugh JJ, Lee EM, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2024. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:237-244.
Young J-A H, Ustun C. Infections in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplants. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 307.