Is viral hepatitis contagious?

Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
Updated on November 27, 2024
00:00
00:00

Viral hepatitis is contagious, with different types of viral hepatitis transmitted in different ways. The common types of viral hepatitis include Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A and E are acute self-limiting liver diseases, which are contagious during the symptomatic phase and also during the incubation period, primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route via the digestive tract. Therefore, for those infected with Hepatitis A or E, gastrointestinal isolation and symptomatic treatment are required. Hepatitis B and C are transmitted through blood, sexual contact, and from mother to child, with general contact not leading to infection.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
37sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of viral hepatitis?

Viral hepatitis, if obvious clinical symptoms occur, usually indicates significant liver dysfunction. The symptoms are mainly related to the condition of liver function. If liver function is significantly abnormal, there will be noticeable clinical symptoms. If liver function is relatively normal, there generally won't be clinical symptoms. Common symptoms include fatigue, aversion to oil, nausea, abdominal bloating, poor appetite, jaundice of skin and mucous membranes, and a range of other symptoms. Some patients may also experience fever during the acute phase.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
35sec home-news-image

Symptoms of viral hepatitis

The clinical symptoms of viral hepatitis are mainly related to liver function. Generally, there are no obvious symptoms when liver function is normal or mildly abnormal. However, when liver function becomes significantly abnormal, symptoms such as fatigue, aversion to oil, nausea, abdominal distension, and poor appetite may occur. Different types of viral hepatitis have different prognoses and severity of illness. Treatment should be tailored to the actual situation, including liver protection, enzyme reduction, and addressing the cause through comprehensive treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jian Kang
Infectious Disease
1min 5sec home-news-image

The cause of ascites in viral hepatitis

Generally, viral hepatitis does not lead to ascites, but if viral hepatitis progresses to liver failure, severe hepatitis, or cirrhosis, ascites can occur. The main causes of ascites are related to portal hypertension and sodium and water retention. Additionally, patients with chronic liver diseases often have low albumin levels, leading to hypoalbuminemia, which can also contribute to the development of ascites. Therefore, the presence of ascites in viral hepatitis generally indicates a severe condition, and the outcome after treatment might be poor as ascites can recur. If ascites occurs in viral hepatitis, it is crucial to rule out the presence of cirrhosis. For some patients in the decompensated stage of cirrhosis, the initial symptom might be ascites. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment are necessary once ascites appears in viral hepatitis, requiring further attention.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
45sec home-news-image

What indicators are checked for viral hepatitis?

Viral hepatitis requires relevant hepatitis markers, such as hepatitis A antibodies IgG and IgM for hepatitis A, and for hepatitis B, the "hepatitis B two and a half pairs" test is conducted to check for surface antigens. If the surface antigen is positive, it indicates a hepatitis B virus infection; if negative, there is no hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatitis C is primarily screened through hepatitis C antibodies; if the screening is positive, further testing for hepatitis C virus RNA is needed. Hepatitis E mainly involves testing for hepatitis E antibodies IgG and IgM.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jian Kang
Infectious Disease
1min 3sec home-news-image

What indicators are checked for viral hepatitis?

For viral hepatitis, the primary index to check is liver function. If there are obvious abnormalities in liver function, further clarification is needed to determine what caused these liver function abnormalities. The most common pathogens include Hepatitis A, B, C, E, D, and non-A non-E, etc. Typical hospitals carry out tests for Hepatitis A, B, C, and E. Hepatitis A and E are acute hepatitis; if IgM antibodies are positive, it can indicate a recent infection. However, if IgG antibodies are positive, their significance is not very substantial. If Hepatitis B or C causes the liver damage, further tests such as HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA, etc., need to be conducted to clarify the cause of the liver condition. Additionally, regular follow-up exams like ultrasound and AFP are required.