One of the most common liver diseases is hepatitis. It manifests itself in acute and chronic form with a different etiology. The causes of the disease can be different, but in any case, it is not easy to deal with it and the patient's quality of life is significantly reduced.
Disease provocateurs
There are several options for hepatitis C infection. The source of the causative agent of viral hepatitis, for example, may be the patient himself, and the carrier of the virus - his blood or waste of his life.
Hepatitis can also develop as a result of exposure to toxic substances on the body. There is alcoholic hepatitis or toxic, if there was exposure to other harmful chemicals - cryptogenic hepatitis.
In the event of a malfunction of the immune system, autoimmune hepatitis develops, where the body itself attacks the liver cells. This can happen if a person has other diseases. For example, metabolic disorders or congenital copper (iron) deficiency in the body cause complications and provoke liver diseases.
Viral hepatitis is the most common, infection occurs through various sources. The virus usually affects the hepatobiliary system, resulting in disrupted liver function. General toxic dyspeptic and hepatolienal syndromes develop. With these syndromes, the liver is not only enlarged. The patient feels nauseous, belching with an unpleasant odor occurs and the general condition is extremely uncomfortable.
Viral transmitted disease
The virus with a single-stranded ribonucleic acid filament and lipid membrane is the causative agent of hepatitis. This virus is from the picornavirus family, it causes hepatitis of groups A, B and C. All these infectious diseases have a common clinical manifestation - liver cells are affected. The organ suffers due to the fact that the virus has a destructive effect on it.
For humans, such a disease is extremely dangerous. Varieties of the disease transmitted by the viral route are often combined into one name “jaundice”. This word is quite often heard, because it is the icteric complexion and eye proteins that are a clear symptom of the disease. But this is only one sign of the disease, and it is not enough to talk about such a diagnosis as hepatitis. The disease can manifest itself independently and as part of the pathological process that occurs in the body.
Classification of viral hepatitis
The correct diagnosis allows the treatment to be carried out most effectively with one form or another of the disease. The causative agent of infectious hepatitis is manifested by a number of specific symptoms. In medicine, they are classified according to various criteria:
- the severity of the course of the disease can be mild, moderate and severe;
- depending on the course of the disease and duration, a chronic form is distinguished, subacute and acute;
- the place of localization of organ damage is also important to consider during treatment, it can be focal, parenchymal and mesenchymal.
Each form of viral hepatitis has its own distinctive features, and they should be considered in more detail.
Hepatitis A
The characteristics of the causative agent of hepatitis A has some similarities with other infectious viruses, but also has its own characteristics. The virus that carries this disease, in addition to having a single-strand RNA genome, also carries the natural HA-Ag antigen. As soon as it enters the body and enters the liver, the active process of reproduction immediately begins. The clinic manifests itself in various forms of severity. The incubation period can take up to 50 days before the first signs appear.
The biochemical analysis of blood confirms the diagnosis accurately, it usually sounds like Botkin’s disease. A virus of the genus hepatovirus carries it. Contact with him is quite simple: through unwashed fruits and vegetables, dirty water, even if it doesn’t look like it. Therefore, you can not drink from unverified sources. And dirty hands and food cooked in non-sanitary standards can become a source of infection.
The most common ways of infection are close household interaction, any contact with the fecal material of the patient. That is why children most often suffer from this virus, they often neglect the rules of personal hygiene.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A
Different types of hepatitis pathogens manifest themselves in different ways and have varying degrees of destructive effects on the liver. Of all types, hepatitis A is considered the most favorable for treatment and carries minimal negative consequences for the body in the future.
The first symptoms resemble the flu, the body temperature rises. After a couple of days, the urine becomes dark in color, feces become discolored.
At the next stage, jaundice is manifested, the patient may feel a little better at this time. The disease itself can last up to two months, but the recovery period can drag on for 6 months. In the process of treatment, it is important to adhere to the doctor's recommendations regarding diet, observe bed rest and take hepatoprotectors.
Features of hepatitis B
This type of hepatitis is also called serum. In this case, severe liver damage occurs. The disease carries a DNA-containing hepatitis virus. Examples of infection with this form often end in cirrhosis and liver cancer. In the envelope of this virus there is an antigen that provokes the formation of antibodies to it. In blood serum, these specific antibodies can be detected. The virus is extremely resistant to various temperature extremes; it dies if it is boiled for 20 minutes. That is why in nature it is extremely common.
Treatment requires an integrated approach. The treatment regimen includes hepatoprotectors, hormones, antibiotics and drugs that support the immune system.
This pathogen of hepatitis is transmitted through the blood. Infection can occur through sexual contact, blood transfusion, or other medical manipulations. The fetus can become infected by the mother.
This form of the disease is manifested by fever, vomiting and nausea, joint pain. Feces may become discolored, and urine becomes dark in color. Jaundice in this case is uncharacteristic. Rashes may appear on the body, and during the study it can be seen that the liver and spleen are enlarged. A person can carry the virus for 6 months and not guess about it.
Hepatitis C infection routes, symptoms
During the course of the disease, moderate intoxication of the liver and acute lesion occur. After the acute phase of the disease, hepatitis can become chronic, this occurs in 70-80% of patients. The chronic form is dangerous in that it often leads to the appearance of cancers in the liver. The incubation period of the virus is sometimes delayed by 30 weeks.
Post-transfusion hepatitis is considered the most severe form of hepatitis. The causative agent is most often transmitted through the blood (non-sterile syringes, transfusion). Sexual transmission is much less common than in the previous case. Patients and carriers of the virus are a source of infection.
Hepatitis C can be combined with other pathogens of hepatitis, this significantly aggravates the patient’s situation, the course of the disease is complicated, with the confluence of two viruses, a fatal outcome is possible.
The danger of hepatitis D
The disease is also called delta hepatitis, has its own distinctive features. In the human body, this virus cannot multiply on its own, it needs an “assistant”, it is the hepatitis B virus. The causative agent of delta hepatitis does not cause a separate disease, but provokes significant complications of the course of hepatitis B. Two viruses in the complex cause a severe form of the disease, superinfection.
The danger of hepatitis E
Hepatitis E has a significant similarity with hepatitis A. However, in the case of a severe form of the disease, it affects not only the liver: the effect of the virus also spreads to the kidneys.
Infection occurs when hygiene rules are not followed, most often through contact with the patient's feces. The hot season is a favorable period for the life of the virus. In most cases, the course of the disease is favorable and recovery occurs rather quickly. At risk are pregnant women in the third trimester. According to statistics, in such cases, up to 40% of diseases result in death. When a pregnant woman develops hepatitis E, the fetus dies in almost all cases. Prevention is simple - hygiene.
Another member of the hepatitis family is hepatitis G
Among viral hepatitis, this representative is the last. Signs and symptoms are very similar to those characteristic of hepatitis C. The difference is that it is less dangerous for the patient. Hepatitis G is not characterized by progression towards the development of liver cirrhosis or cancer. But the combination of these two types of hepatitis does not exclude the possibility of developing cirrhosis.
Precautions against infection with viral forms
It is impossible to protect yourself absolutely from all diseases, but you can make every effort to protect yourself even in those cases where it is possible. Despite the fact that there are mild forms of the course of the disease, no one would like to hear a diagnosis of hepatitis. The causative agent of the disease can nevertheless be in close proximity to us. You can adhere to preventive measures in order to protect yourself from infection as much as possible. Different types of hepatitis live in different sources, and therefore, in order not to become infected with them, there are completely available all kinds of prevention methods, but there are also general ones. In order not to get any of them, you should adhere to these simple rules:
- before eating vegetables and fruits, they must be washed;
- do not drink water from unverified sources and do not swim in dirty water, especially if sewage gets there;
- do not use other people's hygiene products;
- keep clean indoors;
- use condoms during sexual intercourse;
- monitor the cleanliness of instruments during blood sampling;
- to vaccinate;
- carefully choose beauty salons, dental clinics;
- use disposable medical instruments.
Currently, all types of disease are diagnosed at the earliest stages. This gives good chances to defeat the disease in the early stages.
The Importance of Hepatitis Diet
Hepatitis is treated comprehensively, and diet in this case is of great importance. Properly selected nutrition can reduce the load on the liver. And this makes it possible for acute forms of the disease to go into remission. Failure to comply with the rules of proper nutrition makes the diseased organ work with increased load. With hepatitis, this should not be allowed in any case.
Doctors recommend not eating cold food, it needs to be warmed up. Products should be boiled or baked, in some cases grated. Food should be taken 5-6 times a day.
Do not drink alcohol and other toxic substances. If necessary, do not take medications that give side effects to the liver.
Toxic hepatitis
In addition to contracting viral infections, hepatitis can be acquired in another way. Toxic hepatitis develops as a result of exposure to the body with toxic substances. An acute inflammation of the liver occurs or a chronic form is acquired. Toxic substances include medicines, industrial poisons, alcohol, poisonous plants.
In some cases, a single exposure to a toxic substance can already cause a person to feel unwell. The affected organ increases in size, jaundice is manifested, the digestive process is disturbed and the patient feels weak. In the right hypochondrium, painful sensations appear.
During treatment, contact with the toxin must be excluded. Next, carry out manipulations to remove it from the body. In addition, it is necessary to use drugs that help maintain the liver and restore the functioning of hepatocyte cells. If you do not respond in time and do not receive treatment, then serious complications and even death are possible.
Forms of the course of toxic hepatitis and symptoms
The liver is a biological filter, and therefore it is natural that the removal and neutralization of hazardous substances occurs there. Toxins and allergens enter the liver tissue and damage its cells, there is a failure of blood supply in the vessels, and the organ's performance is impaired. Pathology manifests itself in an acute form when a single dose of poison in a large concentration enters the body. In the chronic form, exposure to the toxin occurs in small doses, but for a long time.
Regardless of what the cause of the pathology was, a dysfunction of the liver can be determined by a number of symptoms. The skin, sclera and tongue become yellow, urine becomes dark in color. Processing of bilirubin is impaired, and it spreads throughout the body through the circulatory system. An inflamed organ increases in size, its protective capsule stretches, and pain appears. The digestive function of the liver is disturbed, nausea, vomiting appears, appetite disappears.
The outflow of bile is disturbed, the products of its processing accumulate in the skin cells, and the patient feels itching. In severe cases, the production of proteins that are responsible for blood coagulation is disrupted and hematomas, bruises and extensive bruises appear on the skin. In the acute form of the disease, these symptoms can occur in 2-4 days. The most rapid disruption of the liver occurs with mushroom poisoning, symptoms appear within 8 hours.
Any form of hepatitis is diagnosed and treated only in medical institutions. Self-treatment with this diagnosis is not carried out.