Hepatitis is swelling and inflammation of the liver.
Hepatitis can be caused by:
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:
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, you should be tested often.
Your health care 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.
Andrew Muir is a Gastroenterologist in Durham, North Carolina. Muir has been practicing medicine for over 30 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hepatitis. He is also highly rated in 26 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis C, Hepatitis, Sclerosing Cholangitis, Cholangitis, and Liver Transplant. He is licensed to treat patients in North Carolina. Muir is currently accepting new patients.
Scott Cotler is a Gastroenterologist and a Hepatologist in Burr Ridge, Illinois. Cotler has been practicing medicine for over 33 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hepatitis. He is also highly rated in 34 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis, Hepatitis C, Liver Cancer, Liver Transplant, and Endoscopy. He is licensed to treat patients in Illinois. Cotler is currently accepting new patients.
Harrys Torres is an Infectious Disease expert in Houston, Texas. Torres has been practicing medicine for over 28 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Hepatitis. He is also highly rated in 5 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Hepatitis C, Hepatitis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis E. He is licensed to treat patients in Texas. Torres 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.
Complications may include:
Seek care immediately if you:
Contact your provider if:
Talk to your provider about having a vaccine to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Steps for preventing the spread of hepatitis B and C from one person to another include:
To reduce your risk for spreading or catching hepatitis A:
Summary: The Phase 3 LIMT-2 study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Peginterferon Lambda treatment for 48 weeks with 24 weeks follow-up compared to no treatment for 12 weeks in patients chronically infected with HDV. The primary analysis will compare the proportion of patients with HDV RNA < LLOQ at the 24-week post-treatment visit in the Peginterferon Lambda treatment group vs the proportion of pat...
Summary: Multicenter, Open-label, Randomized Controlled Trial Male and female adults with liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B virus infection who have low-level viremia and are beyond treatment indications by current guidelines. To assess the efficacy of Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF) in reducing liver-related events (hepatocellular carcinoma, liver-related events and death, decompensated liver cirrhos...
Published Date: February 07, 2022
Published By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Guidelines for viral hepatitis surveillance and case management. www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/statistics/surveillanceguidelines.htm. Updated May 31, 2015. Accessed April 26. 2022.
Czaja AJ. Autoimmune hepatitis. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 90.
Pawlotsky J-M. Chronic viral and autoimmune hepatitis. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 140.
Takyar V, Ghany MG. Hepatitis A, B, D, and E. In: Kellerman RD, Rakel DP, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2022. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:223-229.
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.