Condition Lookup
Category:
Liver Infections
Number of Conditions: 5
Hepatitis A
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Liver Infections
Sub-category: Acute Viral Hepatitis
Symptoms:
fatigue; nausea; vomiting; abdominal pain; jaundice; dark urine; pale stools; fever
Root Cause:
Infection with the Hepatitis A virus (HAV) causing inflammation of the liver; spread primarily through contaminated food and water.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests detecting HAV-specific IgM antibodies, liver function tests.
Treatment:
Primarily supportive care (rest, hydration, avoiding alcohol); no specific antiviral therapy.
Medications:
No antiviral medications; symptomatic relief with antipyretics (e.g., acetaminophen for fever) or antiemetics for nausea.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in areas with poor sanitation; estimated 1.4 million cases worldwide annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Travel to endemic regions, consuming contaminated food or water, close contact with an infected person.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Full recovery in most cases within weeks to months; no chronic infection.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rare, but can include fulminant hepatitis in older adults or those with pre-existing liver conditions.
Hepatitis B
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Liver Infections
Sub-category: Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Symptoms:
fatigue; loss of appetite; nausea; jaundice; dark urine; joint pain; abdominal pain
Root Cause:
Infection with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can cause both acute and chronic liver inflammation, leading to liver damage.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests for HBsAg (surface antigen), anti-HBc antibodies, and HBV DNA; liver function tests.
Treatment:
Treated with antiviral medications such as tenofovir or entecavir to suppress viral replication, alongside interferon therapy in select cases, and supportive care, with monitoring for liver function and complications.
Medications:
Nucleos(t)ide analogs (e.g., entecavir , tenofovir ) to inhibit viral replication. Interferon-alpha injections to boost the immune response.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects over 296 million people worldwide; common in Asia and Africa.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected sex, needle-sharing, perinatal transmission, healthcare worker exposure.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Acute cases often resolve; chronic cases may progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer without treatment.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver failure.
Hepatitis C
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Liver Infections
Sub-category: Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Symptoms:
fatigue; nausea; loss of appetite; jaundice; dark urine; joint pain; abdominal pain
Root Cause:
Infection with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), often leading to chronic liver inflammation and scarring.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA, liver function tests.
Treatment:
Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) to cure the infection.
Medications:
DAAs (e.g., sofosbuvir , ledipasvir , velpatasvir ) targeting viral proteins for replication. Ribavirin (in combination in certain cases).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects over 58 million people worldwide; common in intravenous drug users.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Needle-sharing, blood transfusions (before 1992), healthcare exposure, tattoos or piercings with unsterilized equipment.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Highly curable with DAAs in 8–12 weeks; untreated, it may progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, portal hypertension.
Hepatitis D
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Liver Infections
Sub-category: Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Symptoms:
fatigue; nausea; jaundice; dark urine; abdominal pain; joint pain
Root Cause:
Co-infection or superinfection with the Hepatitis D virus (HDV) in individuals already infected with Hepatitis B. HDV requires HBV to replicate.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests for anti-HDV antibodies and HDV RNA, liver function tests.
Treatment:
Pegylated interferon-alpha; no specific antiviral therapy.
Medications:
Pegylated interferon-alpha to suppress viral replication; supportive care.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Estimated 5–10% of individuals with HBV are co-infected with HDV.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Same as Hepatitis B, especially intravenous drug use and unprotected sex.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Worse than HBV alone; higher risk of progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver failure.
Hepatitis E
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Liver Infections
Sub-category: Acute Viral Hepatitis
Symptoms:
fatigue; nausea; jaundice; dark urine; pale stools; abdominal pain; fever
Root Cause:
Infection with the Hepatitis E virus (HEV), often spread through contaminated water, leading to acute liver inflammation.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests for anti-HEV antibodies (IgM), HEV RNA in serum or stool.
Treatment:
Supportive care; ribavirin in severe or chronic cases (e.g., immunocompromised patients).
Medications:
Ribavirin (antiviral, used selectively for chronic cases).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects over 20 million people annually, primarily in developing regions.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Contaminated water, poor sanitation, undercooked pork or wild game meat.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Full recovery in most cases; higher mortality in pregnant women.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Acute liver failure, particularly in pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals.