Why does hepatitis resolve in some individuals

Hepatitis D can be spread by contact with blood and other body fluids. Coinfection with hepatitis Hepatitis E is usually spread when people ingest something that has been contaminated by the stool of an infected person The hepatitis A virus is the most common cause of acute hepatitis, followed by the hepatitis B virus. Other viruses can also cause acute viral hepatitis.

These viruses include the Epstein-Barr virus EBV , which is the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis Infectious Mononucleosis Epstein-Barr virus causes a number of diseases, including infectious mononucleosis.

The virus is spread through kissing. Symptoms vary, but the most common are extreme fatigue, fever, sore throat Engaging in certain activities, such as getting a tattoo or body piercing, sharing needles to inject drugs, or having several sex partners, increases the risk of developing hepatitis. Acute viral hepatitis can cause anything from a minor flu-like illness to fatal liver failure Liver Failure Liver failure is severe deterioration in liver function.

Liver failure is caused by a disorder or substance that damages the liver. Most people have jaundice yellow skin and eyes , feel tired Sometimes there are no symptoms. The severity of symptoms and speed of recovery vary considerably, depending on the particular virus and on the person's response to the infection. Hepatitis A and C often cause very mild symptoms or none at all and may be unnoticed.

Hepatitis B and E are more likely to produce severe symptoms. Infection with both hepatitis B and D called coinfection may make the symptoms of hepatitis B even more severe. In people who smoke, a distaste for cigarettes is a typical symptom. Occasionally, especially with hepatitis B, infected people develop joint pains and itchy red hives on the skin wheals or urticaria Hives Hives are red, itchy, slightly elevated swellings.

The swelling is caused by the release of chemicals such as histamine from mast cells in the skin, which cause fluid to leak out of small Sometimes, after 3 to 10 days, the urine becomes dark, and stool becomes pale. Jaundice Jaundice in Adults In jaundice, the skin and whites of the eyes look yellow. Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin a yellow pigment in the blood—a condition called hyperbilirubinemia.

See also Overview It is sometimes accompanied by itching. These symptoms occur because the damaged liver cannot remove bilirubin from the blood as it normally does. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced when hemoglobin the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen is broken down as part of the normal process of recycling old or damaged red blood cells. Bilirubin then builds up in the blood and is deposited in the skin making it look yellow and causing itching and the whites of the eyes making them look yellow.

Bilirubin is normally secreted into the intestine as a component of bile the greenish-yellow digestive fluid produced by the liver and excreted in stool, giving stool its typical brown color. In people with hepatitis, stools are pale because bilirubin does not enter the intestine to be eliminated in stool.

Instead bilirubin is eliminated in urine, making the urine dark. Most of the initial symptoms poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, and fever usually disappear within a week, and people feel better even though the jaundice may worsen. The jaundice usually peaks in 1 to 2 weeks, then fades over 2 to 4 weeks.

But it can sometimes take much longer to resolve completely. Rarely, fulminant hepatitis develops. Fulminant hepatitis is severe hepatitis with signs of liver failure Liver Failure Liver failure is severe deterioration in liver function.

Fulminant hepatitis can occur in people with hepatitis A, but it is more likely to develop in people with hepatitis B, particularly if they also have hepatitis D. The hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent HAV infection. There are no specific medications or treatments for hepatitis A. Care is focused on maintaining comfort and adequate nutrition.

The virus can affect people of all ages. Once infected, some people carry the virus their whole lives. The virus is found in the blood and body fluids of infected people. It is most often spread among adults through sexual contact, by sharing needles and other drug paraphernalia, or from an HBV-infected mother to her newborn during birth.

Some people get sick within the first six months after getting infected. These people might also experience yellowing of the whites of the eyes jaundice or joint pain. For some people, acute infection leads to chronic infection.

People with chronic HBV infection usually do not feel sick for many years, but will have symptoms if they develop the most serious complications from hepatitis B, like cirrhosis or liver cancer. A person infected with the virus can pass it on to others even if he or she does not feel sick or show symptoms. The best way to prevent hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated. Learn about risk factors for hepatitis B. Symptoms of hepatitis B vary by age. Most children under age 5 years do not have symptoms.

In older children and adults, symptoms may include:. The risk for chronic infection with hepatitis B also varies greatly by age. Approximately 90 percent of infected infants and up to 50 percent of infected children age 1—5 years will remain chronically infected with HBV.

By contrast, approximately 95 percent of adults recover completely from HBV infection and do not become chronically infected. Complications of chronic HBV infection can include cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent HBV infection and potential complications, including cancer. Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for infants, older children and adolescents who were not previously vaccinated, and certain adults, including:. View the complete list of adults who need hepatitis B vaccine. If another disorder is the cause, it is treated. If the cause is alcohol-related liver disease Treatment Alcohol-related liver disease is liver damage caused by drinking too much alcohol for a long time.

If chronic hepatitis B Hepatitis B, Chronic Chronic hepatitis B is inflammation of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis B virus and that has lasted more than 6 months. In some people, hepatitis B tends to recur once drug treatment is stopped and may be even more severe.

Thus, these people may need to take an antiviral drug indefinitely. With chronic hepatitis C Hepatitis C, Chronic Chronic hepatitis C is inflammation of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis C virus and that has lasted more than 6 months.

Treatment can last from 8 to 24 weeks. Treating hepatitis C can eliminate the virus from the body and thus stop inflammation and prevent scarring and progression to cirrhosis. Treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis focuses on managing the conditions that contribute to it.

For example, treatment may include. Taking drugs to treat diabetes Oral Antihyperglycemic Drugs Many people with diabetes require drugs to lower blood glucose levels, relieve symptoms, and prevent complications of diabetes. There are two types of diabetes mellitus Type 1, in which the Taking drugs to lower lipid levels Lipid-lowering drugs Dyslipidemia is a high level of lipids cholesterol, triglycerides, or both or a low high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol level. Lifestyle, genetics, disorders such as low thyroid hormone Not taking drugs that can contribute to the disorder such as tamoxifen , corticosteroids, and synthetic estrogens.

Usually, corticosteroids such as prednisone or budesonide are used to treat autoimmune hepatitis along with azathioprine , a drug used to suppress the immune system. These drugs suppress the inflammation, relieve symptoms, and improve long-term survival. Nevertheless, scarring in the liver may gradually worsen. Stopping these drugs usually leads to recurrence of the inflammation, so most people have to take the drugs indefinitely.

However, taking corticosteroids for a long time can have significant side effects. So doctors usually gradually reduce the dose of the corticosteroid so that people can stop taking it.

People then take azathioprine or mycophenolate other drugs that suppress the immune system indefinitely. Regardless of the cause or type of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis Cirrhosis of the Liver Cirrhosis is the widespread distortion of the liver's internal structure that occurs when a large amount of normal liver tissue is permanently replaced with nonfunctioning scar tissue. Treating ascites Treatment Ascites is the accumulation of protein-containing ascitic fluid within the abdomen.

Treating hepatic encephalopathy Treatment Hepatic encephalopathy is deterioration of brain function that occurs in people with severe liver disease because toxic substances normally removed by the liver build up in the blood and reach Liver transplantation Liver Transplantation Liver transplantation is the surgical removal of a healthy liver or sometimes a part of a liver from a living person and then its transfer into a person whose liver no longer functions.

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Both cancerous and noncancerous tumors of the bile duct or gallbladder are rare. When cancerous, these tumors are almost always fatal. The exception is a cancerous tumor of the gallbladder that is discovered accidentally, such as during gallstone removal surgery. If discovered in this way, the tumor may have been caught early enough to be removed completely, possibly producing a cure.

When cancer of the gallbladder is diagnosed, there is almost always a co-existing medical condition found at the same time. Which of the following is the most likely associated medical condition? More Content. Common causes include hepatitis B and C viruses and certain drugs. The most common causes of chronic hepatitis are.

Minimizing your risk of contact with these substances can help to prevent contracting hepatitis viruses. Practicing effective hygiene is one way to avoid contracting hepatitis A and E.

The viruses that cause these conditions can be present in water. The hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can transmit through contact with bodily fluids containing these infectious agents. You can reduce your risk of coming into contact with fluids containing these viruses by:. Hepatitis B and C can carry through sexual intercourse and sexual contact. Using barrier methods, such as condoms and dental dams, during sexual activity can help decrease the risk of infection.

Chronic hepatitis B or C can lead to more severe health problems. Because the virus affects the liver, people with chronic hepatitis B or C are at risk of:. When your liver stops functioning normally, liver failure can occur. Complications of liver failure include:. People with chronic hepatitis B and C should avoid alcohol as it can accelerate liver disease and failure.

Certain supplements and medications can also affect liver function. If you have chronic hepatitis B or C, check with your doctor before taking any new medications. Hepatitis A is inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. This highly contagious form of hepatitis can be spread through contaminated…. Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver.

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