- Main symptoms
- Possible causes
- How hepatitis is transmitted
- Hepatitis prevention
- How is hepatitis treated
- Hepatitis has a cure
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, which is usually caused by viruses and / or the use of medications. The symptoms of hepatitis usually appear a few days after contact with the virus and manifest themselves through the yellowish color of the skin and the white part of the eyes and its treatment depends on what caused the disease.
There are several types of hepatitis, but the most common in Brazil are hepatitis A, B and C.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of hepatitis may vary according to the type of virus involved, but they usually manifest in the acute phase of hepatitis, through:
- Headache and general malaise; Abdominal pain and swelling; Yellowish color on the skin and in the white part of the eyes; Dark urine, similar to the color of cola; Light stools such as putty; Nausea, vomiting and weight loss without apparent cause.
Hepatitis B usually has no symptoms and progresses slowly. In the few cases that show symptoms, these can be fever, yellowish color in the skin and eyes and malaise, and 95% of the time the cure for hepatitis B can be achieved, although there are cases of chronic hepatitis B.
The diagnosis of hepatitis can be made through observation of the patient and through diagnostic confirmation through serological blood tests.
Check a more complete list of the symptoms of hepatitis A, hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
Possible causes
The causes of hepatitis can involve contamination with viruses, bacteria or parasites, and in Brazil, hepatitis A, B and C viruses are the main responsible for hepatitis cases in the country. Thus, the causes of inflammation in the liver can be:
- Infection with hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, G virus; bacteria or parasites that cause hepatitis; Uncontrolled use of some medicines; Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages; Ingestion of poisonous mushrooms.
Hepatitis can also occur due to some diseases like Lupus, Sjögren's Syndrome, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, hemolytic anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma or glomerulonephritis.
How hepatitis is transmitted
Hepatitis transmission can occur through oral-fecal contact or through contact with contaminated blood. Some common forms of contamination include:
- Share syringes; Have sex without a condom (condom); Consume food or water contaminated by feces; Contact with urine or feces of an infected person.
Other less common forms of contamination are blood transfusion, particularly before 1990, and from mother to child through normal birth, in women who do not do prenatal care correctly.
Hepatitis prevention
Regarding the prevention of hepatitis, vaccination against hepatitis A and hepatitis B is recommended, use condoms in all sexual relations, do not share syringes and adopt hygiene measures such as always washing your hands before and after going to the bathroom and before eating.. In addition, it is important to be cautious when performing piercings or tattoos and new or properly sterilized materials should be required.
Check out the main ways of transmission of each type of hepatitis and how to prevent it in each case.
How is hepatitis treated
Treatment for hepatitis can be done only with rest, good nutrition and hydration. However, in some cases, the use of medications such as interferon, lamivudine, adefovir, dipivoxil and entecavir may be prescribed.
Hepatitis medications can cause side effects such as irritability, headache, insomnia and fever and, therefore, many patients abandon treatment, without the doctor's knowledge, compromising the treatment of hepatitis. Although these are unpleasant symptoms, they are more frequent at the beginning of treatment and tend to decrease with the use of analgesics, antidepressants or anti-inflammatory drugs.
Treatment time can vary between 6 to 11 months, depending on the type of hepatitis and the patient's immune response. Throughout the treatment, care should be taken to prefer easily digestible foods, and it is recommended to follow a diet to treat hepatitis.
Check out in the video below what to eat during treatment for hepatitis:
Hepatitis has a cure
Hepatitis can be cured most of the time, but in some cases, when the individual is not properly treated or does not respect the prescribed guidelines, the disease can progress with complications, which can progress to death.
More severe cases may require hospitalization to control the disease because chronic hepatitis increases the risk of developing liver cirrhosis, which increases the risk of liver cancer. Other complications of hepatitis include hepatitis B virus glomerulus-nephritis and hepatitis C virus cryoglobulinemia.
