What is the difference between Hepatitis A, B, and C?
Hepatitis A (HAV) is caused by a virus found in feces (people’s stool). You can get it by coming in contact with infected feces. The most common way is by swallowing food or liquids that get contaminated by hands that are not washed thoroughly after using the toilet. You can also get Hepatitis A through sexual acts like ‘rimming’ (licking someone’s anus) or via oral sex on a male’s penis after he has had anal sex. Almost everyone infected with Hepatitis A completely recovers in about 4 to 8 weeks. Although there are not always symptoms, you may suffer from nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin and/or eyes), diarrhea, and/or extreme lack of energy. Hepatitis A is rarely dangerous unless accompanied by Hepatitis C. You can pass Hepatitis A to another person even if there are no symptoms. After recovery of Hepatitis A you can not spread it to others and you will be immune from getting it again. The immune system develops antibodies that can fight off future exposure. Hepatitis B (HBV) i
Hepatitis A (HAV) is caused by a virus found in feces (people’s stool). You can get it by coming in contact with infected feces. The most common way is by swallowing food or liquids that get contaminated by hands that are not washed thoroughly after using the toilet. You can also get Hepatitis A through sexual acts like ‘rimming’ (licking someone’s anus) or via oral sex on a male’s penis after he has had anal sex. Almost everyone infected with Hepatitis A completely recovers in about 4 to 8 weeks. Although there are not always symptoms, you may suffer from nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin and/or eyes), diarrhea, and/or extreme lack of energy. Hepatitis A is rarely dangerous unless accompanied by Hepatitis C. You can pass Hepatitis A to another person even if there are no symptoms. After recovery of Hepatitis A you can not spread it to others and you will be immune from getting it again. The immune system develops antibodies that can fight off future exposure. Hepatitis B (HBV) i
Richard Manch, MD, is the medical director of the Banner Good Samaritan Liver Disease Center in Phoenix, Ariz. Question: Can you explain the difference between Hepatitis A, B and C (and other letters)? If I get a vaccination for hepatitis, which am I protected from? Answer: “Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. It can have many causes, including viruses, medications and alcohol. Most commonly, however, we think of the viruses, called A, B and C. Hepatitis A causes an acute hepatitis that almost always gets better on its own. It is easily spread from person to person, in food and water, and can infect many people at once. Hepatitis B can be both acute (short-term illness) and chronic (ongoing illness), and is spread through blood or other body fluids in various ways. Hepatitis C is almost always chronic and spreads only by blood. Hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccination, but not Hepatitis C. There are now many good medications available to treat chronic Hepatitis B and C
