Dietary care for viral hepatitis

Written by Zhang Jian Kang
Infectious Disease
Updated on March 01, 2025
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Patients with viral hepatitis generally have noticeable gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms, such as fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, and bloating after eating. Therefore, it is advisable for patients with viral hepatitis to maintain a low-fat, light diet. Vegetables and fruits are fine to consume, but greasy foods, such as meat, are not recommended. If meat is desired, white meats like fish are preferable, while red meats are advised against. If viral hepatitis is accompanied by other diseases such as hepatic encephalopathy, it is recommended not to consume soy products and eggs. Patients with viral hepatitis often have concurrent gallbladder diseases, so consuming eggs or greasy foods may exacerbate symptoms and cause significant upper abdominal discomfort.

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Treatment of viral hepatitis

Once viral hepatitis occurs, the liver function is obviously abnormal. Patients may have significant discomfort symptoms such as fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, and bloating after eating. Therefore, the treatment of patients with viral hepatitis mainly consists of two aspects. The first aspect is bed rest combined with a light, low-fat diet. The second aspect is pharmacological treatment. For patients with significantly abnormal liver function, medications that protect the liver and reduce enzyme levels are needed. If significant jaundice occurs, medications to reduce jaundice are required. Additionally, if the viral hepatitis is caused by hepatitis B or C, antiviral medications might be necessary. Only through active antiviral treatment can the damage to the liver by the virus be reduced, and thus better recovery of the patients can be achieved.

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Transmission routes of viral hepatitis

Different types of viral hepatitis are transmitted through different routes, and preventive measures should start from the cause of the disease, cutting off transmission routes and protecting susceptible individuals. Hepatitis A and E are mainly transmitted through the fecal-oral route, usually by consuming food or water contaminated with the hepatitis A or E virus. Hepatitis B and C, on the other hand, are mainly transmitted through blood, sexual contact, and from mother to child; general contact usually does not lead to infection. Preventive measures include cutting off transmission routes, such as avoiding contact with patients with viral hepatitis, and getting vaccinated against hepatitis B and A.

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Do you need a blood transfusion for viral hepatitis?

Viral hepatitis, especially in cases where the condition is particularly severe, bilirubin levels are particularly high, and coagulation function is particularly poor, may require plasma treatment. This involves the administration of plasma and nutritional support as symptomatic supportive therapy. Some patients may also need plasma exchange and artificial liver treatment. The treatment of viral hepatitis should aim to remove the cause of the disease as much as possible while also strengthening liver protection and enzyme reduction therapies. Severe cases may require plasma treatment. Treatment decisions should be based on the actual situation and starting treatment early in the onset of the disease can stabilize most conditions.

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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.

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Can you eat eggs with viral hepatitis?

Patients with viral hepatitis can generally eat some eggs when their condition is relatively mild and there are no obvious symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic coma. However, if the symptoms are particularly severe, and there is hepatic encephalopathy or even hepatic coma, it is necessary to restrict protein intake. The diet for viral hepatitis should be tailored to the actual situation, consuming light, easily digestible and absorbable foods. It is important to avoid overly greasy, irritating, or moldy foods. The variety of foods should be rich and nutritionally balanced, and the treatment should be targeted.