Types of hepatitis based on the cause, what are?

Types of hepatitis due to viral infection

Hepatitis caused by viral infection is one of the most common types of hepatitis in the community. Experts then divide the hepatitis virus into five types, namely hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.

These five viruses can trigger acute hepatitis which can last for about 6 months. According to the Basic Health Research in 2014, an estimated 28 million Indonesians are infected with hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Although each virus has different characteristics, infection of the five viruses shows similar signs and symptoms of hepatitis. Here is more information about the types of hepatitis due to viral infection.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a type of hepatitis caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). This disease is a contagious liver infection and is endemic in developing countries. The reason is, hepatitis A is related to environmental cleanliness and clean and healthy behavior.

In addition, sanitation systems in developing countries are also a contributing factor to the widespread spread of HAV. There are also several conditions that are ways of transmitting hepatitis A, such as:

consumption of food and drink contaminated with the virus,
use of water contaminated by feces of people with hepatitis A, and
direct contact with sufferers, such as having sex with people with hepatitis.

Although the number of cases is quite large, hepatitis A is a disease with mild to moderate symptoms. Most people recover completely and are immune to HAV infection.

Even so, hepatitis A virus infection can also develop into chronic hepatitis and cause severe conditions. That is why, a hepatitis A vaccination program is needed to prevent this disease.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This virus can be transmitted through contact with blood, semen, and other body fluids that are contaminated with the virus.

Transmission of this type of viral hepatitis can occur through several things, namely:

blood transfusion contaminated with HBV,
use of a syringe exposed to the HBV virus,
sharing injecting drugs, and
transmitted from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth.

Generally, this hepatitis can last for 6 months or acute hepatitis. If more than 6 months, it means you experience symptoms of chronic hepatitis B. This one hepatitis disease is more common in infants who are transmitted during childbirth.

If not treated promptly, hepatitis B can increase the risk of complications from other liver diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. That is why you need to immediately consult a doctor for hepatitis treatment if you experience symptoms of HBV.

Fortunately, now there is a hepatitis B vaccine program as a form of prevention that is believed to be safe and effective.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is inflammation of the liver caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). If left untreated, this infection can damage the liver and cause serious complications.

The mode of transmission of hepatitis C is not much different from other types of hepatitis, namely through contact with contaminated blood.

In most cases of hepatitis C, HCV blood sticks to needles that are shared for medicine or tattooing. Transmission through sexual contact is possible, but it is quite rare.

Compared to other hepatitis diseases, hepatitis C is a fairly dangerous disease. The reason is, there is no vaccine that can prevent HCV. Therefore, by avoiding risk factors it is highly recommended to be free from this virus infection.

Hepatitis D

Hepatitis D (HDV) or also known as delta virus is the type of hepatitis that is rarely found. However, hepatitis D also includes hepatitis which is quite dangerous.

This is because hepatitis D requires HBV to reproduce. Therefore, hepatitis D can only be found in people with hepatitis B.

With the hepatitis D and B viruses in the body, both viruses can cause worse health problems.

The good news is, hepatitis D can be prevented by getting the hepatitis B vaccine. However, these prevention efforts only work in people who have never had hepatitis B.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is a type of hepatitis that is transmitted almost similarly to HAV, namely through consumption of water or food contaminated with the hepatitis E virus (HEV).

In addition, consumption of uncooked or uncooked meat, and transfusions of infected blood can also be risk factors.

Outbreaks of this disease are common in a number of developing countries, such as several areas in Asia, including Indonesia.

So far there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis E, so you need to live a clean and healthy lifestyle to avoid this disease.

A non-viral type of hepatitis

Apart from viral infections, hepatitis can also be caused by other factors, ranging from lifestyle to genetic disorders. The following are several types of hepatitis that are not caused by a viral (non-viral) infection.

Alcoholic hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis is inflammation in the liver that occurs as a result of consuming alcohol over a long period of time. Even so, people who are dependent on alcohol do not necessarily develop this type of hepatitis.

In some cases, people who consume alcohol in normal limits can be at risk of developing this disease.

This hepatitis disease can develop into serious liver dysfunction, such as cirrhosis of the liver.

Unfortunately, there is no specific drug to treat cirrhosis. This is because normal liver tissue is damaged and replaced by scar tissue. As a result, the liver stops functioning and increases the risk of death.

Symptoms caused by alcoholic hepatitis are not much different from hepatitis caused by viral infections, such as loss of appetite to the appearance of jaundice.

Therefore, treatment of alcoholic hepatitis focuses more on stopping alcohol consumption. If the condition of the liver is badly damaged, a liver transplant may be the last option to treat this disease.

Autoimmune hepatitis

Compared to other types of hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis occurs when the body's immune system attacks liver cells. The cause of hepatitis is not yet known, but it is possible that it is caused by a genetic disorder that develops due to environmental factors.

If not treated properly, autoimmune hepatitis can lead to hardening of the liver and liver failure. Although it is not a contagious disease, it cannot be prevented.

The symptoms experienced by each sufferer also vary, ranging from joint pain and nausea to the appearance of jaundice. When it is severe, autoimmune hepatitis can cause ascites or fluid buildup in the stomach and mental confusion.

Therefore, proper treatment is needed to overcome this problem, such as: