Dr Rakesh Rai, Liver Transplant surgeon
The liver is a vital organ in the human body that does multiple functions including processing of nutrients, filtering the blood, and fighting infections. Hepatitis (inflammation of liver) is often caused by viruses. Some of these viruses may stay in our body for a very long time and can lead to liver damage. This in turn can cause cirrhosis and sometimes
liver cancer. Among viral hepatitis – Hepatitis A and E usually spreads through contaminated water and food while hepatitis B & C gets transmitted through blood and body fluid.
At the onset of hepatitis patient may develop yellowish discoloration of eyes (jaundice), urine, generalized malaise and mild abdominal discomfort. Sometime these symptoms are very mild and in some cases people may never realize that they had viral hepatitis.
It is advisable to take medical advice during such illness even if it is mild. It is very important to establish if patient has viral hepatitis and exactly which type.
Usually hepatitis A and E are self-limiting and recovery takes place within few weeks. But in certain cases the hepatitis can progress rapidly causing liver failure and it can be fatal. Some of these patients require liver trans- plantation which has a very good result. Mainly Hepatitis E infection in pregnant woman can be very serious.
Hepatitis B & C viruses can cause acute hepatitis like Hepatis A and E but main difference is that hepatitis B and C in certain patients can remain in the body for long time without causing any symptom and slowly damages the liver over years. This chronic form of viral hepatitis can cause cirrhosis as well as liver cancer. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable disease as vaccines are available. Hepatitis E can be prevented if we take care of our food habits and we do not take contaminated water or
food.