Acute hepatitis is quite common in the U.S.
Causes: Common causes of acute hepatitis may include:
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Infection with a virus (viral hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E)
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Overdose of medicines (such as acetaminophen)
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Chemical exposure (such as dry cleaning chemicals)
Symptoms. Acute hepatitis usually starts with flu-like symptoms. The following are the most common symptoms of acute hepatitis. However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
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Jaundice (yellow color in the skin and/or eyes)
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Nausea
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Vomiting
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Loss of appetite
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Fever
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Tenderness in the right, upper belly
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Sore muscles
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Joint pain
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Clay-colored bowel movements
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Itchy, red hives on skin
The symptoms of acute hepatitis may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Diagnosis. In addition to a complete medical history and medical exam, diagnostic procedures for acute hepatitis may include the following:
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Specific lab tests
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Liver function tests
Treatment: Specific treatment for acute hepatitis will be discussed with you by your healthcare provider based on:
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Your age, overall health, and medical history
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Extent of the disease
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Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
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Expectations for the course of the disease
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Your opinion or preference
Treatment varies depending on the type of acute hepatitis (viral versus nonviral). Severe, acute hepatitis may need hospitalization.
People who have had acute viral hepatitis may become chronic carriers of the disease. Proper precautions need to be taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
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Some people do not recover fully from acute hepatitis and develop chronic hepatitis, as the liver continues to sustain more damage and inflammation. Hepatitis is considered chronic if symptoms last longer than 6 months. Chronic hepatitis can last years.
Types of chronic hepatitis:
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Alcohol-induced chronic hepatitis. This type is characterized by continued damage throughout the liver from heavy alcohol consumption.
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Chronic active hepatitis. An aggressive inflammation and destruction of liver cells. This can lead to cirrhosis and has a myriad of causes.
Causes. Certain viruses, genetic disorders, autoimmune disease, and medicines may cause chronic hepatitis in some people, but not in others. Some common causes include:
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Viral hepatitis B, C, and D
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Heavy alcohol consumption
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Autoimmune disorder (when the body attacks its own tissues)
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Reaction to certain medicines
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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This is seen most often in patients with metabolic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol
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Metabolic disorders (such as hemochromatosis or Wilson disease)
Symptoms. Symptoms of chronic hepatitis are usually mild. Although the liver damage continues, its progression is usually slow. The following are the most common symptoms of chronic hepatitis. However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Some people may experience no symptoms, while others may experience:
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Feeling ill
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Poor appetite
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Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
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Low-grade fever
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Upper belly pain
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Jaundice
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Symptoms of chronic liver disease (such as enlarged spleen, spider-like blood vessels in the skin, and fluid retention)
The symptoms of chronic hepatitis may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Diagnosis. In addition to a complete medical history and medical exam, diagnostic procedures for chronic hepatitis may include:
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Specific lab tests
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Liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)
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Liver function tests: albumin, bilirubin, and international normalized ratio (INR)
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Ultrasound, CT, or MRI of the liver
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Serologic, genetic, and other tests to focus on the disease
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Liver biopsy (to determine severity of inflammation, scarring, cirrhosis, and underlying cause)
Treatment. Specific treatment for chronic hepatitis will be discussed with you by your healthcare provider based on:
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Your age, overall health, and medical history
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Extent of the disease
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Cause of the disease
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Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
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Expectations for the course of the disease
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Your opinion or preference
The goal of treatment is to stop damage to the liver and ease symptoms. Treatment may include:
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An antiviral agent. When caused by hepatitis B or C, inflammation of the liver may be stopped with a variety of antiviral agents. Hepatitis C can usually be cured.
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Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids may be used to treat chronic liver disease caused by an autoimmune disorder. Inflammation is suppressed, but scarring of the liver may continue. This may be combined with other medicines, such as azathioprine.
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Discontinuation of certain medicines. When chronic hepatitis is caused by certain medicines, discontinuing those medicines usually clears up any symptoms.
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Discontinuation of alcohol use
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