Hepatitis is a liver disease that makes your liver swell and keeps it from working correctly. Several viruses cause hepatitis. The most common types are the hepatitis A, B, and C viruses.
Hepatitis A is spread through food or water contaminated by feces from a person who has the virus. You can get hepatitis A by eating food prepared by someone with the virus. You can also get it by drinking water in parts of the world with poor sanitary conditions.
Hepatitis B is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluid. You can get hepatitis B by having sex with an infected person without a condom, sharing drug needles, or sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person. A woman with hepatitis B can give the virus to her baby at birth.
Hepatitis C is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood. You can get hepatitis C by sharing drug needles or getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it.
Hepatitis can make you feel like you have the flu. You might
* feel tired
* feel sick to your stomach
* have a fever
* lose your appetite
* have stomach pain
* have diarrhea
Some people who have hepatitis have dark-yellow urine, light-colored stools, or yellowish eyes and skin. Some people don’t have any symptoms.
If you think you might have hepatitis, go to your doctor for a blood test.
Most people who have hepatitis A get well on their own after a few weeks. If you have hepatitis B or C, your doctor will give you shots of medicine. Over time, hepatitis B or C can cause your liver to stop working. If that happens, you will need a new liver.
You can get vaccines to protect yourself from hepatitis A and B. You can also protect yourself and others from hepatitis A by washing your hands after using the toilet and before fixing food or eating.
You can protect yourself from hepatitis B by using a condom when you have sex, not sharing drug needles with anyone, and not sharing a toothbrush or razor with anyone who might be infected.
No vaccine for hepatitis C exists. You can protect yourself from hepatitis C by wearing gloves if you have to touch someone’s blood, not sharing drug needles, and not sharing a toothbrush or razor with anyone who might be infected.
Source :www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov
Hepatitis B is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluid. You can get hepatitis B by having sex with an infected person without a condom, sharing drug needles, or sharing a toothbrush or razor with an infected person. A woman with hepatitis B can give the virus to her baby at birth.
Hepatitis C is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood. You can get hepatitis C by sharing drug needles or getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it.
Hepatitis can make you feel like you have the flu. You might
* feel tired
* feel sick to your stomach
* have a fever
* lose your appetite
* have stomach pain
* have diarrhea
Some people who have hepatitis have dark-yellow urine, light-colored stools, or yellowish eyes and skin. Some people don’t have any symptoms.
If you think you might have hepatitis, go to your doctor for a blood test.
Most people who have hepatitis A get well on their own after a few weeks. If you have hepatitis B or C, your doctor will give you shots of medicine. Over time, hepatitis B or C can cause your liver to stop working. If that happens, you will need a new liver.
You can get vaccines to protect yourself from hepatitis A and B. You can also protect yourself and others from hepatitis A by washing your hands after using the toilet and before fixing food or eating.
You can protect yourself from hepatitis B by using a condom when you have sex, not sharing drug needles with anyone, and not sharing a toothbrush or razor with anyone who might be infected.
No vaccine for hepatitis C exists. You can protect yourself from hepatitis C by wearing gloves if you have to touch someone’s blood, not sharing drug needles, and not sharing a toothbrush or razor with anyone who might be infected.
Source :www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov
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