Viral Hepatitis

Overview

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. When the liver is inflamed, it struggles to perform vital functions like storing nutrients, clearing waste, bacteria and toxins from the blood, regulating blood proteins and clotting, and producing bile. If left untreated, hepatitis can lead to serious liver problems, including cirrhosis (scarring), permanent liver damage, and cancer.  

Several types of hepatitis are caused by viruses, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. These viruses are different from one another in how they are spread, tested, treated, and prevented. 

Symptoms & Diagnosis 

People with hepatitis may not have symptoms, especially early in infection, but they can still spread the virus to others. When symptoms do occur, they may include: 

• Fever 
• Fatigue (feeling tired) 
• Stomach pain 
• Diarrhea 
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Loss of appetite 
• Joint pain 
• Dark urine (tea or cola-colored) 
• Pale or grey-colored stool (poop) 
• Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice) 

A health care provider can diagnose hepatitis A, B, and C with a blood test. 

Learn more about symptoms, testing, and diagnosis for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.  

Treatment 

Treatment depends on the type of viral hepatitis. 

Hepatitis A 

Hepatitis A usually gets better with time and does not become a long-term or life-long disease. Rest, balanced nutrition, and drinking fluids are usually recommended to help with recovery.   

Hepatitis B 

Treatment for hepatitis B may include medications that help manage the infection, but they do not cure it.  

Hepatitis C 

Treatment for hepatitis C includes medication that can cure the disease.  

Prevention 

Depending on the type of hepatitis, prevention may include vaccination and reducing behaviors that increase the risk of infection.   

Hepatitis A 

The best way to prevent hepatitis A is by completing the hepatitis A vaccine series.  

Other forms of prevention include: 

• Washing your hands after going to the bathroom and before preparing food or eating  
• Getting tested for hepatitis A to prevent spreading the virus to others if you: 
  • have symptoms of hepatitis A 
  • think you may have been exposed to HAV 

Hepatitis B 

The best way to prevent hepatitis B is by completing the hepatitis B vaccine series.  

Other forms of prevention include: 

• Getting tested for hepatitis B  
  • at least once as an adult 
  • during each pregnancy 
  • regularly if you have ongoing risk of exposure to HBV 
• Avoiding sharing needles, having unprotected sex, getting tattoos from unlicensed providers, or sharing personal items like razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes 

Hepatitis C 

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. 

Other forms of prevention include: 

• Getting tested for hepatitis C 
  • at least once as an adult 
  • during each pregnancy 
  • regularly if you have ongoing risk of exposure to HCV 
• Avoiding sharing needles, having unprotected sex, getting tattoos from unlicensed providers, or sharing personal items like razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes 

Reporting 

Health care providers must report confirmed or suspected cases of hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E to the Alaska Department of Health, Section of Epidemiology. Health care providers and laboratories must also report relevant test results, including:  

• All reactive viral hepatitis screening tests and associated confirmatory test results  
• Tests used to detect the presence of hepatitis B or C viruses, including virologic tests, nucleic acid tests (DNA or RNA), and other viral load assays – both detectable and undetectable results (e.g., not detected or negative viral load results) 
• Genotype test results 

Resources