5 Types of Hepatitis: A, B, C, D, E

There are 5 different hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, and E). Each belongs to its own virus family, and each is genomically distinct, having unique replication strategies. Along with differences in transience, they differ in their mechanism for infection. Learn more about them below.


Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)

HAV is transient and transmitted oro-faecally. Exposure typically happens by eating or drinking something contaminated with the virus. A sick person will then pass it through their stool. It’s rampant in countries with poor sanitation systems, where infected stool can contaminate an entire water supply. You can reduce your risk of infection by using good hygiene practices and avoiding contaminated food and water (drink bottled water, for instance). The best defense is to have the HAV vaccine. If you’re traveling, you definitely need this vaccination.

 

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

HBV is transient or chronic and transmitted by the parenteral route, meaning it moves through blood and blood products. This is the most prevalent hepatitis virus known to become chronic, meaning it will stay with you long-term. It has a double shell. The outer shell is like an envelope, and the inner shell contains the virus. To diagnose this type, a blood test is needed. Presence increases a person’s risk for liver cancer.

 

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)

HCV is transient or chronic and transmitted by the parenteral route. Most infections of this type are chronic. Variants of HCV possess many similarities in their genomic structure and replication strategy. Symptoms of this type are similar to the other strains. Like HBV, a blood test is needed for diagnosis, and positive results increase a person’s risk for liver cancer.

Hepatitis D Virus (HDV)

HDV is transient or chronic and transmitted by the parenteral route. Unlike HBV, HDV doesn’t encode an envelope protein for transmission. This virus causes swelling of the liver. The best way to prevent it is to avoid blood and bodily fluid exposure, as well as being vaccinated.

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV)

HEV is transient and transmitted oro-faecally. In developing countries, this type is responsible for major outbreaks of acute hepatitis. One of its unique characteristics is high mortality among pregnant women in the third trimester. It’s not common in the U.S. It causes the liver to swell but doesn’t cause any long-term damage.


To learn more about all types of this virus, enroll in hepatitis CME (continuing medical education) courses.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

All About Breast Cancer: Critical FAQs

Image
   Understanding your body helps so that you can make informed decisions, have a better dialogue with your health care professional, and notice when something’s not quite right. In breast cancer CME, the anatomy will be referenced constantly, because knowing the different parts and functions will better help you and others like you in your breast cancer exploration and recovery journey. What is Adipose Tissue? This is the collection of fat cells in the breast. It goes from across the middle of the ribcage, up toward the underarm, and extends across to the collarbone. What are Lobes, Lobules, And Milk Ducts? There are about 12-20 sections in a healthy female breast called lobes. Each is made of many smaller lobules. These are glands that produce milk for nursing babies. Both the lobules and lobes are connected to the milk ducts. The milk ducts act like stems and carry the milk to the exit points, which are the nipples. These structures are where cancer typically beg...
Read more

FAQs About Breast Cancer in Males

Image
Breast cancer is commonly thought of as a woman's disease. But, it's crucial to learn that even though they don't have milk-producing tissues, men are still at risk of it.  Due to lack of awareness, it's often discovered at its later stage, which makes it harder to treat. To spread awareness and knowledge of this disease, here are answers to 4 FAQs about breast cancer in males.   How Common Is Breast Cancer in Males ? Research shows that 1% of breast cancer patients are men. But, because the disease is so common, that still amounts to 2,000 cases in the United States every year. For males, the lifetime risk of getting this ailment is approximately 1 in 883. There's little information on male breast cancer, and the current treatment is still based on what experts have learned from curing women. But, with comprehensive research and oncology CE, doctors are learning more about how to deal with these cases. What Are the Risk Factors? Although...
Read more