What is hepatitis?

When all inflammatory diseases of the liver hepatitis are known. The liver cells are damaged by inflammation and impaired liver function. Hepatitis can be caused by several factors: viruses, bacteria, parasites, alcohol abuse, drugs, but also chemicals.

Hepatitis is most commonly caused by viruses. At present five types of viruses are known to be responsible for the so-called viral hepatitis.

These viruses were designated alphabetically by scientists with the letters A through E and enter the respective hepatitis disease its name. In the earlier reported as a disease in hepatitis F is a variant of the hepatitis B virus. Also the earlier mentioned hepatitis G is no longer seen as independent and disease now known as GB virus infection. One can prove this type of virus, but assign no disease. Of the original seven known types of virus are thus remained above the five major types. These pathogens are very different in structure and properties. This also explains the various modes of transmission of various types of virus and the infection risk of different sizes:

• Hepatitis A: The infection is fecal-oral route, ie, by contact with excretions from infected persons, persons close contact or through food prepared with contaminated water.

• Hepatitis B is sexually transmitted through blood, blood products, saliva or other bodily fluids or the bloodstream.

• Hepatitis C: as type B, however, overwhelmingly transmitted via the blood. Hepatitis D: The infection is also as in type B, type D can only occur in patients who are already infected with the hepatitis B virus-infected

Hepatitis E: as type A

The disease breaks out and the patient shows the symptoms described above, it is called acute hepatitis. Cures hepatitis is not completely out, they called chronic. This can also happen without ever acute signs of disease have occurred. Of chronic hepatitis is when the virus of the appropriate type even after 6 months or longer in the blood of an infected person can be detected.

The most common place with the virus of hepatitis viruses A, B and C. All three types of viruses are spread worldwide. Vaccinations exist only against hepatitis A and B.

For the woman doctor, especially hepatitis B, as part of its Impftätigkeit and prevention as well as the physician of the hepatitis A woman of importance. In the following we therefore to these two variants.

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