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Hepatitis

Hepatitis generally signifies that there is inflammation and damage of the liver. There are 3 types of hepatitis: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. They are all caused by different viruses. Hepatitis A can be acute and only last for 6 months or less but Hepatitis B and C can be classed as chronic and will last for longer.
The Hepatitis A virus will mainly cause an infection of the liver but rarely progresses to more than that. A lot of it is due to poor sanitation and can spread through contaminated food or personal contact. It can be quite common in children
Hepatitis B causes the liver to swell and can result in extreme damage of the liver. It is a chronic problem and can consequently lead to many complications and health problems. The hepatitis B virus can be passed from one person to another though blood, semen or body fluids.
Hepatitis C is caused by the virus that lives in the liver cells and causes the liver to inflame and swell. Like hepatitis B, it can be passed if you come into contact with the blood of another person, ie. Via sharing needles, unsterilized needles used for tattoos etc.

SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS

At the beginning of the illness, you may not have any symptoms but Hepatitis A, B and C do share the same symptoms which include stomach pains, fevers, jaundice, nausea, tiredness, loss of appetite and irregular weightloss.