Hepatitis - Symptoms, causes and treatment

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver or liver. Hepatitis can be caused by a viral infection, it can also be caused by other conditions or diseases, such as alcohol consumption, use of certain drugs, or autoimmune diseases. If caused by a viral infection, hepatitis can be contagious.

Hepatitis is characterized by the appearance of symptoms in the form of fever, joint pain, right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Hepatitis can be acute (fast and sudden) or chronic (slow and gradual). If not treated properly, hepatitis can cause complications, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, or liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma).

Reason Hepatitis

Hepatitis can be caused by a variety of conditions and diseases. However, the most common cause is a viral infection. Here are some types of hepatitis caused by viral infections:

  • Hepatitis A

    Hepatitis A is caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A is transmitted through food or drink contaminated with feces of patients with hepatitis A which contains the hepatitis A virus.

  • Hepatitis B

    Hepatitis B is caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B can be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids of people with hepatitis B. Body fluids that can be a means of transmission of hepatitis B are blood, vaginal fluids, and semen.

  • Hepatitis C

    Hepatitis C is caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is also transmitted through body fluids. Transmission can occur during unprotected sex or using used needles for hepatitis C sufferers. If a pregnant woman has hepatitis C, her baby can contract the disease while passing through the birth canal during delivery.

  • Hepatitis D

    Hepatitis D is caused by infection with the hepatitis D virus (HDV). Hepatitis D is a rare type of hepatitis, but it can be serious. Hepatitis D virus cannot reproduce in the human body without hepatitis B. Hepatitis D is transmitted through blood and other body fluids.

  • Hepatitis E

    Hepatitis E is caused by infection with the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hepatitis E is easily transmitted in an environment that has poor sanitation. One of them is through contamination of water sources.

Apart from being caused by a virus, hepatitis can also be caused by the following conditions:

  • Excessive alcohol consumption

    Excessive alcohol consumption can cause inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) and cause permanent damage to liver cells, so that liver function will be disrupted. If left untreated, this condition can progress to liver failure and cirrhosis.

  • Certain drugs

    The use of drugs in excess of doses and exposure to toxins can also cause inflammation of the liver. This condition is called toxic hepatitis.

  • Autoimmune disease

    In hepatitis caused by an autoimmune disease, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks liver cells, causing inflammation and cell damage.

Hepatitis Risk Factors

Some factors that can increase a person's risk of suffering from hepatitis are:

  • Lack of hygiene, such as not washing hands before eating
  • Consuming food that is contaminated with the hepatitis virus or food that is not thoroughly cooked
  • Sharing the use of personal items and syringes with others
  • Having unprotected sex with people with hepatitis due to viral infection
  • Have acute and chronic infectious diseases
  • Have an autoimmune disease
  • Have a family history of hepatitis
  • Frequently receiving blood transfusions, especially if the donated blood does not go through a strict examination or the equipment used is not clean

Symptoms of Hepatitis

In the early stages, people with hepatitis usually do not feel any symptoms, until eventually this disease causes damage and impaired liver function. In hepatitis caused by viral infection, hepatitis symptoms will appear after the patient has passed the incubation period. The incubation period for each type of hepatitis virus is different, which is about 2 weeks to 6 months.

Here are some common symptoms that appear in people with hepatitis:

  • Nauseous
  • Throw up
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Pale stools
  • Dark urine
  • Stomach pain
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of appetite

  • Weight loss

  • Eyes and skin turn yellowish or jaundice

When to go to the doctor

Check with your doctor if you experience the complaints and symptoms as mentioned above. Prompt treatment is necessary to prevent the development of hepatitis and its complications.

Immediately consult a doctor if your urine is dark in color and your eyes and skin turn yellowish.

You should also check with your doctor if you have conditions that can increase your risk of hepatitis, such as suffering from an autoimmune disease, frequently taking drugs, or drinking alcohol frequently.

If you have been diagnosed with hepatitis, check with your doctor regularly according to a schedule. In addition to monitoring the results of therapy, this routine examination also aims to reduce the risk of complications.

Hepatitis Diagnosis

The doctor will ask for complaints and medical history of the patient and family. After that, the doctor will conduct an examination to look for discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes (sclera), and apply pressure to the patient's abdomen area to detect an enlarged liver and tenderness in the upper right side of the abdomen.

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will perform supporting examinations in the form of:

  • Liver function tests, to check the performance of the liver and find out if there are problems with the organ
  • Hepatitis virus antibody test, to determine the presence of antibodies specific for HAV, HBV, and HCV viruses, and determine whether hepatitis is acute or chronic
  • Abdominal ultrasound scan, to detect abnormalities in the liver, such as liver damage, liver enlargement, or liver tumors, as well as to detect abnormalities in the gallbladder
  • Liver biopsy, to determine the cause of damage in liver tissue

Hepatitis Treatment

Hepatitis treatment will be adjusted to the type of hepatitis, the severity of the infection, and the patient's condition. Hepatitis due to viral infection can heal by itself if the patient has a good immune system. Treatment of hepatitis due to viral infection aims to overcome the infection, relieve symptoms, and prevent complications.

In general, the treatment carried out includes:

Administration of interferon drugs

Although some types of hepatitis due to viral infections can heal on their own, the administration of drugs needs to be done when the amount of virus that causes hepatitis is quite large. The doctor will give interferon drugs to stop the spread of the virus and prevent it from recurring. This drug is usually given by IV every week for 1 year.

Administration of immunosuppressant drugs

To treat hepatitis caused by autoimmune diseases, doctors can give immunosuppressant drugs, especially corticosteroids, such as prednisone and budesonide. In addition, patients with autoimmune hepatitis can also be given azathioprine, mycophenolate, tacrolimus, and cyclosporine.

Administration of antiviral drugs

In some conditions, such as chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C, doctors may also prescribe antiviral drugs, such as entecavir, famciclovir, lamivudine, ritonavir, ribavirin, or tenofovir. These drugs can inhibit the growth and development of viruses by different mechanisms.

Liver transplant

If hepatitis has caused severe liver damage, your doctor may suggest a liver transplant or liver replacement. Through this procedure, the damaged liver of hepatitis sufferers will be replaced with healthy liver from a donor.

Monitoring the patient's physical condition during the hepatitis recovery period is very necessary so that the recovery process can run well. Exhausting physical activity should be avoided during the recovery period until symptoms subside.

In addition, people with hepatitis should not consume alcohol, especially if the hepatitis is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. If the cause is the use of certain drugs, the doctor will discontinue or replace the drug so that liver inflammation does not get worse.

Complications of Hepatitis

If not treated properly, hepatitis can cause various complications, such as:

  • heart failure
  • Cirrhosis
  • Heart cancer

blockerahan hepatitis

You can lower your risk of developing hepatitis by taking the following steps:

  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after outdoor activities and before eating.
  • Practice safe sex, for example by using condoms and not changing partners.
  • Avoid sharing personal items, such as toothbrushes or towels, as well as eating utensils.
  • Keep your immune system healthy by eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest.
  • Do not consume alcohol and drugs.
  • Avoid eating food that has not been cooked until cooked and drinking water that is not guaranteed to be clean or has not been boiled until it boils.
  • Perform hepatitis vaccination according to the schedule given by the doctor.