You have hepatitis. What does this mean?

Hepatitis is a very serious inflammation of the liver, an organ essential to life. Hepatitis is caused most often by a virus, but other factors like drugs and medications may play a role.

A-B-C: From least to most serious

Of six known hepatitis viruses—A, B, C, D, E, and G—the most common are hepatitis A, B, and C. Hepatitis A (HAV) is the least serious form and does not progress to chronic disease. A small proportion of individuals with hepatitis B develops chronic disease.

Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are the most serious forms of hepatitis. Both pose risks of long-term medical complications, especially if left untreated. At least eight out of 10 individuals who contract hepatitis C will progress to chronic disease, in which the illness lasts longer than 6 months.

See The Different Types of Hepatitis

People with chronic hepatitis B and C are at increased risk of permanent liver damage or liver cancer. A small proportion will develop liver damage that is serious enough to require liver transplantation.

Few or no symptoms

If you are like most people who have received a diagnosis of hepatitis, you probably were shocked by the news. Often, there are no symptoms, even when the disease has been in your body for years. If symptoms are present, they are often vague: fatigue, tiredness, loss of appetite, or stomach pain. Only in rare cases do patients have the characteristic yellowing of skin or the whites of eyes (jaundice) that is traditionally associated with hepatitis.

You are not alone

Close to 5 million adults have hepatitis B or C in the United States, but this may be only a small percentage of the total number of infected individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that up to 30,000 Americans contract hepatitis C each year. In other parts of the world, the rates of infection are much higher and the numbers of infected individuals range as high as 20 percent of the population.

See Epidemiology

Living with hepatitis

Early diagnosis and treatment are crucially important. While there is no guaranteed cure for chronic hepatitis B or C, a significant percentage of people who are treated improve and go on to live and work for an entire lifetime.

See Importance of Treatment
See Testing for Hepatitis
See Treatment Options