We all know that children are given hepatitis vaccinations from the moment of birth until a certain time. However, has anyone wondered what hepatitis is? Hepatitis can be described as the inflammation of the liver, commonly due to a viral infection, among other causes. Inflammation means the liver swelling up and turning red. Hepatitis is considered to be a dangerous disease, as it attacks one of the most vital organs of the human body, the liver, and it is responsible for the following:
- Production of bile, which is important for digestion
- Filtering toxins
- Synthesizing blood proteins
- Storing vitamins, minerals, and the like
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that around 4.4 million Americans are suffering from repeated hepatitis B and C, while some are not even aware that they have hepatitis.
Types
With different viruses responsible for different types of hepatitis, the types are classified from A to E, each having its own symptoms, causes, and treatments.
- Hepatitis A
This type usually spreads by eating food or drinking contaminated water or coming into contact with a person already infected with the hepatitis A virus. The primary symptoms of hepatitis A are nausea, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite, among others. - Hepatitis B
Caused by the hepatitis B virus, the symptoms of hepatitis B include yellow eyes and abdominal pain, among others. The primary way that it spreads is through contact with infected body fluids by means of drug use, shared razors, and intercourse. The CDC approximates that 1.2 million US citizens and 350 million people all over the world suffer from hepatitis B. - Hepatitis C
Generally spread through contaminated blood or from mother to child by pregnancy or nursing, the source of hepatitis C is the hepatitis C virus. The tricky part about this type is that it shows little to no symptoms. - Hepatitis D
Also spread through blood infection, hepatitis D is a liver disorder caused by the hepatitis D virus. Hepatitis D is rare because it only affects people who already suffer from hepatitis B. Abdominal pain and nausea are the primary symptoms of the disorder in this case. - Hepatitis E
Waterborne in nature and caused by the hepatitis E virus, hepatitis E is primarily caused due to poor sanitary conditions, like the presence of feces in the water supply. It has symptoms like jaundice, nausea, and a lack of appetite, and hepatitis E also leads to critical liver failure in some cases.
Prevention
Hepatitis contraction can be prevented by following the given advice:
- In the case of children, vaccination must be done thoroughly.
- One should wash their hands after visiting the bathroom and before eating food.
- Condoms should be used during intercourse to avoid the transmission of the virus.
- One should not use tap water when traveling.
- Sharing items such as needles, toothbrushes, razors, and the like with others should be avoided.
- Bottled water should be used for the purpose of brushing and drinking, especially when traveling.
