Overview:
The liver is an organ that filters toxins from the blood and fights infections. When it is exposed to infection or damage, its vital function is affected. Besides, the use of alcohol, toxins, or some medications in some medical conditions, etc., can cause hepatitis. However, most of the Hepatitis is caused by viruses (A, B, C, D, E).

What is Viral Hepatitis?
It is a viral infection that affects the liver. There are several types of viruses that may cause the disease, and the severity of the disease varies from acute to chronic infection. In some types of viral hepatitis, the disease may develop into cirrhosis or liver cancer if the necessary treatment and health care are not received as soon as possible after the disease is diagnosed.

What are the types and methods of transmission and preventive measures for viral hepatitis?
  1. Hepatitis A: It is transmitted through contaminated food or water. It is often mild and goes away on its own without long-term medical intervention, and prevention is through vaccinations and following proper hygiene practices.
  2. Hepatitis B: It is transmitted through blood or other bodily fluids. It can be acute or chronic, and in some cases, it may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. For prevention, follow the procedures of taking the vaccine and avoiding harmful behaviors (sharing needles, such as drug addicts, having sex with an infected partner), and conducting periodic examinations for those who have been in contact with positive cases and for those with risk factors:
  • If you are 35 years or older.
  • One of your first-degree relatives has the virus
  • You suffer from hereditary blood diseases
  • Had dialysis
  • You suffer from high liver enzymes
  • Harmful behaviors (sharing needles, such as drug addicts, having sex with an infected partner)
  3. Hepatitis C: It is transmitted through the blood and is often asymptomatic. It may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Modern treatments can cure most cases. For prevention, follow measures to avoid harmful behaviors (sharing needles, such as drug addicts). Sharing sharp tools such as needles, diabetics, razors, and toothbrushes with others, having sex with an infected partner, conducting periodic tests for those who have been in contact with positive cases and for those who have the following risk factors:
  • You are 35 years old or older.
  • One of your first-degree relatives has the virus.
  • You had an operation or blood transfusion before 1990.
  • You suffer from hereditary blood diseases.
  • You have had dialysis.
  • You suffer from high liver enzymes.
  • You shared needles, like drug addicts.
  4. Hepatitis D: It is a virus that depends on the presence of the hepatitis B virus to reproduce and is also transmitted through blood and bodily fluids.
  5. Hepatitis E: It is transmitted through the Fecal-oral route, like hepatitis A, and is usually acute and goes away on its own.

What are the symptoms of viral hepatitis?
  • Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Dark urine.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
These symptoms may not appear in all cases. Rather, a person may be infected and not show any symptoms.

Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis is through a laboratory blood test to determine the presence of antibodies to viruses, in addition to the medical team’s evaluation of the condition.

Treatment:
  • For patients with hepatitis B, use antiviral medications as prescribed by the doctor to inactivate the virus in the blood and reduce the incidence of complications. (Hepatitis B virus is difficult to treat. The medications approved for treatment reduce the amount of the virus and in most cases do not lead to a complete recovery from the disease, so prevention is the best method).
  • Treatment for viral hepatitis C takes approximately 12 weeks, or as directed by the doctor, and the treatment achieves a high success rate for complete recovery from the virus.
  • Stopping taking viral hepatitis medications without consulting a doctor may cause serious complications for the patient.
  • Viral hepatitis medications interact with many other medications. Therefore, the patient must be sure to consult a doctor before starting to use a new medication.
  • Some viral hepatitis medications may be affected by food and drinks, so be sure to follow the doctor and pharmacist’s instructions regarding how to take the medication.
  • Light may affect the effectiveness of some medications to treat viral hepatitis. Therefore, it is necessary to store medicines in the original packaging, or to consult a pharmacist if there is a need to store the medicine in another package.

How to prevent the transmission of hepatitis B virus from an infected pregnant woman to her newborn?
  • Based on the results of the specialist doctor’s evaluation, appropriate treatment can be provided to a pregnant woman infected with the disease during pregnancy, and after the birth of the baby, he is given the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, and the anti-virus serum in the first 12 hours of birth, in addition to the child completing the vaccine doses of Hepatitis B according to the national vaccination schedule, in order to prevent transmission of the virus to the newborn.

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