What are the various kinds of Hepatitis?
Hepatitis B (HBV)
HBV is a viral disease that attacks the liver. HBV may result in life long infection, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, and in some cases death. Practically one-third of infected persons demonstrate signs and symptoms. Common HBV symptoms consist of joint pain, vomiting, nausea, reduction in appetite, abdominal discomfort, fatigue, and jaundice.
Hepatitis C (HCV)
HCV is viral liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus. Research indicates about eighty percent of those with HCV exhibit signs. Similar to HBV, some symptoms consist of nausea, decrease in appetite, abdominal pain, dark urine, fatigue, and jaundice.
The Hepatitis Tests
Hepatitis B (HBV) Test
A blood test is performed to detect the surface antigen for an HBV infection.
Hepatitis C (HCV) Test
A blood test is completed to test for the antibodies the immune system produces in response to the HCV virus.
In the event the HCV antibody test is positive, a RIBA test is conducted to confirm the antibody presence.
Symptoms of Hepatitis
You can be have contracted HBV and exhibit no signs or symptoms whatsoever. You may be spreading the virus and not know it.
Indicators may include:
- yellowing of the whites of your eyes or yellow skin (jaundice)
- decrease in appetite
- dark urine
- low energy
- nausea
- grey-colored stools
- abdominal pain
- joint ache?
Hepatitis Stages
When initially infected with HBV, you have an acute infection.
During an acute infection, the individual might not display any symptoms. Others may have some or a few moderate flu-type signs. In exceptional situations, severe signs or symptoms have developed which needed medical attention like joint pain, cutaneous eruption, abdominal discomfort, or jaundice.
An acute infection may remain up to 6 month. During this period, a person can pass the HBV to others. Nearly 90 percent of adults recover from the HBV acute stage after a couple of months simply because they acquire immunity to the virus. These people will not end up developing “chronic” hepatitis. If the individual had any symptoms present, these symptoms will dissipate and the virus can no longer be transmitted to other people. The infection will harbor no long-term effects for these folks.
Nonetheless, the other ten percent of adults could be not able to overcome HBV, and will develop “chronic” hepatitis. “Chronic” hepatitis is a long-term liver infection (when the infection lasts longer than six months). These individuals are “chronic carriers” and can pass HBV to others indefinitely.
