Hepatitis is a virus that could kill you. Hepatitis is the swelling/inflammation of the liver.

Types of hepatitis are : A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is the swelling/inflammation of the liver by infection of the HAV. How HAV is contracted and causes ? Hepatitis A is an acute viral infection contracted by consuming (HAV) contaminat ed food, water and fecal matter ( of those infected with HAV ). Approximately 40 % of all acute viral hepatitis is caused by the HAV Symptoms : Fatigue, Fever, Abdominal Pain, jaundice ,Nausea, Appetite loss, Blood in the u rine and Clay-coloured feces Treatment/Prevention of HAV There are vaccines that guard against Hepatitis A and they stay in your system f or over 20 years, they are strongly recommended when traveling abroad. Also, goo d hygiene and sanitation are key to preventing this infection. If a person contr acts the virus there are no real treatments, other than treating the symptoms su ch as rest, acetominaphin, avoiding fatty foods and alcohol (which hurt our live rs regardless of infection), a well balanced diet and staying hydrated. Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is the inflammation of the liver by infection of the HBV. Hepatitis B can be an acute or cronic infection. How Hepatitis B is contracted and causes: Hepatitis B us contracted by unprotected sexual contact (by bodily fluids). Can be passed from mother to child in childbirth. By blood transmission (i.e the use of needles by someone infected, blood transfu sions). About a third of the worlds population, more than 2 billion people, have been inf ected with the hepatitis B virus. This includes 350 million chronic carriers of the virus Symptoms: Acute infections: Cold or flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, jaundice , nausea, vomiting, body a ches, mild fever, dark urine, Treatment/Prevention for Hepatitis B Most elementary schools vaccinate children against this virus. There are three d oses given of the vaccine. Protection has been observed to last 12 years. Treatm ent of acute Hepatitis B is note needed as the body will clear up the infection on its own. There are antiviral medications for those who suffer cronically. The medications stop the virus from being able to replicate itself. Hepatitis C HCV is the inflammation of the liver by infection of the HCV. It is cronic infec tion, but can also be an acute infection. There are 6 major genotypes of the HCV. Genotype 1 being acute to Genotype 6 bei ng cronic. How Hepatitis C is contracted/causes: Hepatitis C is a blood to blood borne virus. Sharing needles, razors, toothbrush es, passing the virus from mother to child in childbirth, blood transfusions, an d sexual contact are some of the ways you can contract Hepatitis C. Signs and symptoms: Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Loss of appetite, Fatigue, jaundice, Pain over the l iver, dark-coloured urine and clay coloured stool. Treatmen/Prevention for Hepatitis C: There are no vaccines available for the prevention of HCV. If a person contracts HCV there are anti-viral medications, such as pegylated interferon-alpha-2a, pe gylated interferon-alpha-2b (Pegasys, Peg-Intron) as well as Ribaviron. Dependin g on what genotype is contracted, depends on the duration and the type of anti-v

iral medication the infected person will take and for how long. The Cure rates dep end on the genotype, if they can be cured at all. Genotype 6 cannot be cured, but sl owed down significantly. Hepatitis D Hepatitis D, (HDV) and classified as Hepatitis delta virus. HDV is considered to be a subviral satellite because it can propagate only in the presence of HBV. How its contracted/causes: Transmission of HDV can occur either via simultaneous infection with HBV (coinfe ction) or via infection of an individual previously infected with HBV (Superinfe ction). Bothe superinfection and coinfection with HDV results in more severe com plications compared to infection with HBV alone. Signs and Symptoms: Cold or flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, body aches, mild fever, dark urinf, jaundice, liver failure. Treatment of HDV There are none, so make sure your HBV vaccines are up to date and take necessary precautions to prevent this virus. Hepatitis E Hepatitis E is the inflammation of the liver cause by the hepatitis E virus (HEV ) How its contracted/causes: HEV is transmitted fecal-orally, contaminated (with HEV) food and water are the main ways to contract HEV. Its a water borne virus. Signs and symptoms Fever, fatigue, nausea, lack of appetite, abdominal pain (or stomach pain), jaun dice. Not everyone infected with the hepatitis E virus will develop symptoms. Treatment of HEV: HEV is a self-limiting disease, in that it usually foes away by itself and the pat ient recovers, other than treating the symptoms such as rest, avoiding fatty foo ds and alcohol, a well balanced diet and staying hydrated.