Hepatitis is a pathological condition that indicates inflammation of the liver tissue, and this inflammation is caused by the interaction of the immune system with specific substances or with an infection that affects liver cells.
It is not a single disease but rather a group of cases that differ in causes, severity, and the duration of the injury, and it can be severe and appear suddenly or chronic.
What are the liver functions?
The liver is a vital organ that performs more than 500 important functions, including removing toxins from the body, producing bile juice to digest fats, storing vitamins and minerals, regulating blood sugar, manufacturing proteins necessary for blood clotting, and any liver defect affects these functions, so hepatitis, if not treated, can lead to serious complications, including: liver fibrosis, abdominal dropping, or cerebral disorder Hepatic, hepatic cancer.
Types of viral hepatitis
There are many types of hepatitis according to the injury, as we will show the following table:
Gender
Method of transition
The development of the case
A
Water/contaminated food
Only sharp – he recovers often
B
Blood, sexual relations
It may become chronic
C
blood
Often chronic
E
Polluted water
Sharp
Causes of hepatitis
Viral infection is one of the most important causes of hepatitis A, as hepatitis A is transmitted through contaminated food and water.
As for hepatitis B and C (transmitted through blood or sexual relations).
The immune system can also attack the liver cells, as in self -immune hepatitis.
Hepatitis can also occur as a result of medications and toxins such as paracetamol (in high doses) or chemical medications that can cause hepatic infections, or drinking alcohol. Chronic use of alcohol leads to alcoholic liver, genetic or metabolic diseases such as hemochromatosis or Wilson disease.
What are the signs of hepatitis?
Symptoms of hepatitis
At the forefront of hepatitis symptoms comes the occurrence of yellowing of the skin and the whiteness of the eyes, as it occurs due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood as a result of the weak liver.
A constant feeling of exhaustion even without physical effort.
Low desire to eat and may lead to weight loss.
Nausea and vomiting.
Pain in the upper right of the abdomen is caused by enlargement or hepatitis.
The dark urine in color tends to brown or cola.
Light stool or gray.
The symptoms of acute hepatitis may initially resemble the symptoms of influenza, a slight temperature, headache and muscle pain, loss of appetite, and digestive disorders, then the most specialized symptoms such as: jaundice, abdominal pain, dark urine.
While symptoms of chronic hepatitis are permanent and unjustified fatigue, frequent abdominal pain, bleeding or bruises easily, stomach swelling (hydroceans), mental disturbance or difficulty in focusing (a sign of hepatitis cerebrality), severe itching, redness in the palm of the hand, enlarged liver or spleen.
There are other symptoms related to certain types, as we will explain to the following table:
Hepatitis A and E
Hepatitis B and C
Alcoholic hepatitis
Self -immune hepatitis
- Acute symptoms suddenly appear
- Often without complications in healthy people
- Dangerous for pregnant women (especially type E)
- Symptoms may not appear at first
- Capable
- They may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer
- Mood changes
- Symptoms similar to other types
- It is sometimes accompanied by other immune diseases such as lupus or arthritis
Hepatitis treatment
There is no uniform treatment for hepatitis, because the treatment depends on: the type of liver inflammation, the unit of the condition, and the extent of the effect of the disease on the functions of the liver, so the treatment can be as follows:
For hepatitis A and E does not usually need a specific drug treatment, focus is on comfort, good nutrition, and fluid drinking, while hepatitis B often does not need anti -virus treatment, liver function and body support are monitored with transverse medications, while chronic conditions need long -term treatment to prevent liver fibrosis and liver cancer
While hepatitis C can be treated permanently in most cases, what is known as “antiviral therapy is directly active”, and the recovery rate exceeds 95% if the disease is detected early and the treatment is properly followed, while hepatitis D D is difficult and limited, but the Big Interferon alpha is used, and under study currently new drugs such as Beverfireb.
As for the treatment of alcoholic hepatitis, immediate alcohol should be quit is the most important step ever. Treatment includes anti -inflammatory drugs (such as cortisone), food support and vitamins, especially vitamin B1, periodically monitoring liver function, in advanced cases: liver transplantation.
