What is viral hepatitis, and how is it transmitted?
The word hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Not everybody who has viral hepatitis (type A, B, C, D, E or G) will get symptoms. In those who do, the symptoms can be either mild or severe. People with acute hepatitis can have flu-like symptoms (muscle aches, body aches, mild fever, malaise), lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting and fatigue, as well. They may also have abdominal pain and tenderness. In very severe cases, a person can turn yellow. This is called jaundice. There are also non-viral causes of hepatitis, which can cause very similar symptoms. It’s important to remember that most of these symptoms resemble those of many other illnesses. To determine the cause of their symptoms, it’s best to see a physician and get tested. Having these symptoms can be due to numerous causes other than hepatitis. This is why laboratory testing is so important to diagnose these symptoms. And again, many people with hepatitis have no symptoms at all. Some forms of hepatitis (especially hepati
