What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can be caused by a group of viruses. There are five major types of viral hepatitis:

HAV, HBV and HCV are the most common types of viral hepatitis found in the United States

How does someone get hepatitis?
The hepatitis A virus can enter a person's body when he or she eats or drinks something contaminated with the stool or blood of someone who has the disease. Symptoms usually appear suddenly, but are not followed by the chronic (long-lasting) problems that hepatitis B and C viruses can cause. The hepatitis B virus can infect a person if his or her mucous membranes or blood are exposed to an infected person's blood, saliva, semen, or vaginal secretions. Hepatitis C is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person. Symptoms appear more gradually than in hepatitis A. Unlike hepatitis A, the hepatitis B and C viruses can stay in the body--sometimes for a lifetime--and eventually cause chronic, serious liver diseases.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis?
When hepatitis viruses damage liver cells, scar tissue is formed and those cells can no longer function. With fewer healthy liver cells, the body begins to show symptoms ranging from mild (such as fatigue) to more severe symptoms (such as mental confusion).

What are the complications of hepatitis?
Although many cases of hepatitis are not a serious threat to health, the disease can sometimes become chronic (long-lasting) and may lead to liver failure and death. In many cases, though, viral hepatitis is a self-resolving illness.

Is hepatitis sexually transmitted?
Sexual activity poses a different level of risk for each type of viral hepatitis, but is most closely associated with HBV. Blood transfusion, IV needle sharing, and organ transplants may also pose a risk for transmission.

Is there a way to prevent infection with hepatitis?
Hepatitis A and B are preventable through vaccination, though no vaccination currently exists for hepatitis C or E. Since hepatitis D only infects persons with active hepatitis B, the vaccine for hepatitis B prevents hepatitis D. For more information, see specific HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV and HEV sections.

ASHA's Hepatitis A & B Fact Sheet (PDF file, 102 KB)