Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. One of the largest and most vital organs in the body, the liver performs many important functions. When it becomes inflamed, the liver’s functioning is impaired.

There are multiple forms of hepatitis. Two of the most easily transmissible types of hepatitis are hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

• Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is usually spread through consuming contaminated food or water or through close contact with an infected person. Symptoms can include fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Most people recover fully, but the illness can be severe, especially for those with other liver conditions. 
• Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. It spreads through contact with infectious blood, semen, or other bodily fluids, often through sexual contact, through sharing needles, or from mother to baby at birth. Hepatitis B can become a chronic, lifelong infection and may lead to serious complications like liver failure, cirrhosis, or cancer.

• Hepatitis A is usually spread through consuming contaminated food or water or through close contact with an infected person.
• Hepatitis B spreads through contact with infectious blood, semen, or other bodily fluids, often through sexual contact, through sharing needles, or from mother to baby at birth.

A person with either type of hepatitis can spread it before they even know they are sick.

• For hepatitis A, the groups at highest risk include people living in close quarters with others, such as in college dormitories, shelters, or prisons; people who use drugs (injection or non‑injection); men who have sex with men; unvaccinated travelers to areas with poor sanitation; and people with chronic liver disease, who have a higher risk of severe outcomes if infected.
• For hepatitis B, the groups at highest risk include sexually active people with multiple partners; household or sexual contacts of an infected person; healthcare workers exposed to blood; infants born to HBV‑infected mothers; people born in regions where HBV is common (Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, parts of Eastern Europe); people who inject drugs or share needles; and people on dialysis, those with HIV, and some cancer patients (reactivation risk). An estimated 880,000 to 1 million people in the U.S. live with chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis kills thousands of Americans each year. It is also a major cause of liver failure, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

Among vaccinated individuals, the risk of hepatitis A or B is near zero.

You can take several steps to reduce your chances of getting viral hepatitis:

• Get vaccinated: Both hepatitis A and hepatitis B can be prevented with safe and effective vaccines. The hepatitis A vaccine is over 95-percent effective, and the hepatitis B vaccine is approximately 100-percent in those who complete the full series. These vaccines are widely available.
• Practice good hygiene: Wash your hands thoroughly, especially after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.
• Avoid risky behaviors: Do not share needles or personal items that might have blood on them. Practice safe sex.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends vaccination for all children, certain adults at increased risk, individuals traveling to some international locations, and anyone who wants to be protected.

If you have symptoms described above, you should contact a health care provider immediately and take appropriate precautions to protect those around you.

If you have a concern about exposure, or if you are notified by health officials that you have been exposed, you should take appropriate precautions and contact a health care provider immediately.