The term hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver. This chapter discusses infectious hepatitis caused by various viruses.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2 billion people are infected with hepatitis. Almost one third of the world’s population has been infected with one of the known hepatitis viruses. In the United States, acute viral hepatitis most frequently is caused by infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), or hepatitis C virus (HCV). These unrelated viruses are transmitted via different routes and have different epidemiologic profiles. Safe and effective vac cines have been available for hepatitis B since 1981 and for hepatitis A since 1995.

Etiology

Viral hepatitis is the most common liver disease worldwide. The viral agents of acute hepatitis can be divided into two major groups, as follows:

 • Primary hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D, E, and GB virus C

• Secondary hepatitis viruses: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpesvirus, and others

Incidence

 Primary hepatitis viruses account for approximately 95% of the cases of hepatitis. These viruses are classified as primary hepatitis viruses because they attack primarily the liver and have little direct effect on other organ systems. The secondary viruses involve the liver secondarily in the course of systemic infection of another body system. The viruses for hepatitis types A, B, C, D, E, and GB virus C, as well as secondary viruses (e.g., EBV, CMV), have been isolated and identified (Table 1).

Table1. Characteristics of Viral Hepatitis

Signs and Symptoms

As a clinical disease, hepatitis can occur in acute or chronic forms. The signs and symptoms of hepatitis are extremely variable. It can be mild, transient, and completely asymptomatic or it can be severe, prolonged, and ultimately fatal. Many fatalities are attributed to hepatocellular carcinoma in which hepatitis viruses B and C are the primary causes. The course of viral hepatitis can take one of four forms—acute, fulminant acute, subclinical without jaundice, and chronic (Table2).

Table2. Forms of Hepatitis

اخر الاخبار

اخبار العتبة العباسية المقدسة

المجمع العلمي يجري اختباره الشهري لطلبة الحفظ في المثنى

قسم الصناعات: اعتماد أعلى معايير الجودة في التنجيد والتأثيث لدعم البنية الخدمية في العتبة المقدسة

قسم الشؤون الفكريّة يصدر الجزء الخامس من سلسلة دراسات في المنهج

جامعة الكفيل تنظّم دورة عن أساسيات الدفاع المدني لملاكاتها

المزيد

الآخبار الصحية

العنب.. فاكهة صغيرة بمفعول "خارق" للقلب والدماغ

دراسة تحدد "الحلقة المفقودة".. تسبب ارتفاع ضغط الدم

هذه الأطعمة تحمي دماغك من الشيخوخة وتزيد حدة الذكاء

خبراء يحذرون من مخاطر "الدهون المخفية" على القلب

المزيد

الآخبار التكنلوجية

الأرصاد الجوية تلجأ إلى الذكاء الاصطناعي.. لأي غرض؟

في منزلك.. "تعديل بسيط" يخفض ضغط الدم بشكل طبيعي

"ميزة جديدة" من إنستغرام تنافس تيك توك.. طال انتظارها

غوغل في مأزق.. بيانات 2.5 مليار مستخدم بقبضة القراصنة

المزيد

مواضيع ذات صلة

Cytomegalovirus

Hepatitis D Virus (Delta Agent)

Hepadnaviridae

Poxviridae

West Nile Virus

Epstein-Barr Virus

Herpes simplex virus, types 1 and 2

Herpesviridae: Structure and Replication

Adenoviridae

Human Cowpox

Human Monkeypox

Smallpox virus