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Hepatitis Viruses

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What are the Hepatitis Viruses?

Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis can be caused by multiple factors including infections, toxins and autoimmune diseases. Viral hepatitis is a major global issues and is caused by five key hepatitis viruses: Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses.

Each of these viruses differ slightly in their modes of transmission, disease progression and management.

Types of Hepatitis Viruses

The table below summaries the five key viruses and their mode of transmission, incubation period, disease progression and preventative strategies.

Virus	Transmission	Incubation Period	Disease Course	Prevention
Hepatitis A (HAV)	Faecal-oral route	2-6 weeks	Acute and self-limiting infection (does not cause chronic disease)	Vaccination, improved sanitation and hygiene
Hepatitis B (HBV)	Blood-borne	1-6 months	Can be acute but progress to chronic infection, leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma	HBV vaccine, safe sex practices and screening of blood products
Hepatitis C (HCV)	Primarily blood-borne (needles, transfusions)	2 weeks to 6 months	Usually leads to chronic infection, increasing risks of cirrhosis and cancer	Harm reduction methods (needle exchanges) - no vaccine available
Hepatitis D (HDV)	Blood-borne (but only if already infected by HBV)	2-8 weeks	Can worsen HBV infection	HBV vaccination prevents infection of HDV
Hepatitis E (HEV)	Faecal-oral route	2-8 weeks	Acute and self-limiting (can be severe in pregnant women)	Improved sanitation, avoiding contaminated food/water

Clinical Presentation of Viral Hepatitis

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