How is Hepatitis C different from Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B?
Although Hepatitis A, B, and C are all viruses that damage the liver, they are all different and otherwise unrelated. Hepatitis A is spread through ingesting fecal matter (e.g. through changing diapers and not washing hands, performing oral to anal sex, eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, etc.). It is an acute infection that can make people extremely sick shortly after contracting the disease. Once people clear the virus, they cannot be reinfected. There is a vaccine to prevent Hepatitis A infection. Hepatitis B is spread through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk, and saliva. It is extremely easy to spread through sharing needles and also quite infectious through anal and vaginal sex. It can also be passed from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding. While hepatitis B infection can be acute for some, it is more likely to be a chronic infection. Hepatitis B can be either very mild or severe. It is more likely to be severe in children or very young peo
