Is liver disease contagious or not? this is the answer from the experts

There are various types of liver disease. But whatever type of liver disease you have, the liver damage process usually develops in the same way - from inflammation, scar tissue formation, cirrhosis, to liver failure. The next question is: Is liver disease contagious?

Read on this article to find out the answer.

Liver disease is contagious or not, depending on the cause

Liver disease can be caused by various factors, ranging from heredity, unhealthy lifestyles, to viral infections.

There are two most common types of inherited liver disease, namely hemochromatosis and alpha-1 antitrypsin. Meanwhile, fatty liver is a type of liver disease caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, for example from drinking alcohol (alcoholic fatty liver) and eating fatty foods and lack of exercise (non-alcoholic fatty liver). The types of liver disease that are influenced by heredity and an unhealthy lifestyle are certainly not contagious.

Another case with liver disease caused by viral hepatitis. Hepatitis is a contagious liver disease, because it is a viral infection. There are many types of viruses that can cause hepatitis, namely hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.

The most common mode of transmission of the hepatitis virus

However, transmission of the hepatitis virus from one person to another is not as simple as through droplets of saliva that come out when sneezing or coughing is not covered like coughs and colds, or through casual touch.

The hepatitis virus is not found in sneezing, coughing, saliva, or breast milk. So, the mode of transmission of the hepatitis virus is a little more complex and will also depend on the type of virus.

There are certain behaviors that increase your risk for infectious liver diseases such as viral hepatitis. For example:

• You live together and share personal items (for example, cutlery or razors) with people who have hepatitis.
• Consuming food and drink contaminated with feces with the hepatitis virus (usually this is the transmission route for hepatitis A and hepatitis E).
• Sharing drug needles with other people can expose you to infected blood.
• Direct contact with blood infected with the hepatitis virus, for example in a health institution such as hospital staff or living with hepatitis patients.
• Tattoos, body piercing, mening tools, and other non-sterile needle exposures.
• Having sex with a person infected with the hepatitis virus, whether anal, oral, and anal sex (these are common routes for the spread of the hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hepatitis D viruses.
• Receive blood transfusions from donors who have viral hepatitis.
• Have HIV. If you become infected with HIV through using drug needles, receiving contaminated blood transfusions, or engaging in unprotected sexual activity, your risk of developing hepatitis will increase. However, it's exposure to body fluids that puts you at risk, not your HIV status.
• Pregnant women who suffer from hepatitis can transmit the infection to their children, but not through breast milk but through the mother's vaginal fluids or blood during childbirth.
• Not washing hands after changing diapers with feces contaminated with the hepatitis virus.

Prevent transmission of viral hepatitis infection

Viral hepatitis is a type of contagious liver disease. However, viral hepatitis can be prevented by maintaining personal hygiene as well as possible. Here's what you need to do to prevent transmission of the hepatitis virus:

• Get the hepatitis vaccine, for hepatitis A and B
• Make it a habit to wash your hands; before eating, after going out of the toilet, before and after cleaning the baby's bottom, before and after preparing food items for cooking, and so on.
• Make sure to wash fruits or vegetables before eating. Cook the meat until it is perfectly cooked.
• Avoid using drugs in any form
• Be careful with the use of needles
• Have safe sex

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