Hepatitis

According Thomson - Gale neurological glossary, hepatitis is defined as an inflammation of the liver, with accompanying liver cell damage or cell death, caused most frequently by viral infection, but also by certain drugs, chemicals, or poisons, with a highly variable and often unpredictable severity. May be either acute (of limited duration) or chronic (continuing).

Types of hepatitis

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is usually met in third world countries and it's generally transmitted through personal contact, consumption contaminated food or water. Unlike the others types of hepatitis, it does not have a chronic stage, only an acute one. Vaccines are available that will protect against Hepatitis A for life.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver which is generally transmitted through exchange of bodily fluids: blood transfusions, sexual contacts with infected persons, using contaminated needles or other instruments. It can cause both acute and chronicle stages. There is a vaccine available that can protect you for life from getting infected with Hepatitis B Virus.  

Hepatitis C

Just like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C is also an infection of the liver which is generally transmitted through exchange of bodily fluids: blood transfusions, using contaminated needles or other instruments, sexual contacts with infected person. But unlike Hepatitis B, hepatitis C virus usually leads to a chronic form of the disease, culminating with cirrhoses. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C.  

Hepatitis D

Hepatitis D is an acute or chronic liver infection, transmitted also through contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids. The particularity of this virus is the fact that cannot exist without the simultaneous presence of Hepatitis B. There is no vaccine available for Hepatitis D.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is an acute liver infection with symptoms and way of transmissions very similar to those caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is also transmitted through personal contact, consumption contaminated food or water. Unfortunately, no vaccine exists for this disease.

Alcoholic Hepatitis

Alcoholic Hepatitis typically occurs after long periods of increased alcohol consumption. Severe cases can lead to death. Alcoholic hepatitis is favored by other chronic alcoholic liver disease or alcoholic cirrhosis