Epidemics and medicine - Hepatitis general information

Epidemics and medicine >> Regions >> Asia >> Hepatitis >> General information

Sections on hepatitis

Transmission of hepatitis

Stages of the disease
Common symptoms of hepatitis

Transmission of hepatitis

Type A
- Hepatitis A is transmitted through hepatitis A virus (HAV), which enters the mouth. HAV is found only in the feces and is usually spread from person to person orally. Gay sex, drug users, household contact with infected person, sex contact with infected persons, and people who live in areas with high infection rates are all at high risk of having been infected.
Type B
- Transmissions of Hepatitis B include mother to baby; the mother always gets Hepatitis B from sex intercourse with an infected patient without using any condom protection. People taking drugs are also at high risk of getting infected. Exposure to sharp tools, such as knife, or razor with blood may also transmit the virus.
Type C
- Transmissions of Hepatitis C include drug use, in which people share needles and syringes. It also occurs when blood or body fluids from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not infected. Recipients of clotting factors made before 1987 are also at high risk of been infected.
Type D: similar to type B

Type E: similar to type A

Stages of the disease

In step (1), a hepatitis virus enters a human cell and releases its RNA and capsids into the host.

In step (2a), RNA is replicated and is mass-produced. On the other hand, new messenger RNA (mRNA) is formed, using cell proteins to form capsids (step 3).

In step (4), new hepatitis virus is formed. Steps (1-4) repeat as viruses infect other cells.

Common symptoms

abdominal pain

a loss of appetite

nausea

fatigue

fever

jaundice

diarrhea