Hepatitis A to E: How to protect yourself from the viral disease

There are several hepatitis viruses that can cause dangerous inflammation of the liver.

But hepatitis A to E do not only differ in the way they are transmitted.

• A hepatitis infection can manifest itself as upper abdominal discomfort, flu-like symptoms, nausea and itchy skin.

  However, there are also patients who have no symptoms.

• Hepatitis often heals spontaneously.

  With hepatitis B and C, however, the disease can also take a chronic course.

• Find out here how to protect yourself from infection.

July 28th is World Hepatitis Day.

The aim: to provide global information about the risks, protection and treatment options for hepatitis infections.

The insidious: Many do not know that they have been infected with the hepatitis virus.

According to the World Health Organization, around 325 million people worldwide suffer from a chronic form of hepatitis B or C - 290 million of whom are said to be unaware of their disease.

Hepatitis B is not curable, but treatable.

Hepatitis C, on the other hand, is usually curable and could be contained worldwide

- if the patients were treated.

An infection with the hepatitis virus can be harmless, but it can also have serious consequences.

An infection with hepatitis B viruses can cause liver cirrhosis or virus type C can lead to liver cancer *.

Find out here what consequences which type of virus can have and how to get infected

.

Hepatitis A

This disease is usually transmitted through contaminated drinking water, contaminated food or unwashed hands - since infected people excrete the virus with their stool.

Even swimming in polluted waters can cause infection

because the virus enters the body through the lining of the mouth, nose, or eyes.

There is a vaccination against the A virus, which is especially recommended when traveling to Egypt or Asia.

The following symptoms can indicate a hepatitis A infection: gastrointestinal problems, fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, disgust for fatty foods, nausea, jaundice, tenderness in the right upper abdomen.

Hepatitis B.

The B-type is transmitted from person to person - via blood, saliva or during sexual intercourse.

Symptoms such as flu-like symptoms and jaundice suggest an infection.

In adults, the disease heals on its own in most cases, as the Spiegel reported.

If the liver inflammation persists after six months, doctors speak of a chronic form.

In up to 30 percent of cases, cirrhosis of the liver develops

, which must be treated with medication.

Hepatitis C.

Like the B virus, hepatitis C can remain in the body and lead to persistent destruction of the liver cells (chronic inflammation), as the Infektiologikum Frankfurt informs.

The chronic form is often not noticed because it shows up through unspecific symptoms.

These include uncharacteristic upper abdominal complaints, rashes on the feet and lower legs, loss of appetite, joint problems and fatigue.

Infection usually occurs through direct blood contact

, for example through blood products before 1990, injuries, shared syringes when using drugs, piercing piercings, tattoos or poor hygiene during medical interventions, as welthepatitistag.de informs.

New drugs completely and permanently cure hepatitis C on the first try in over 95 percent of cases.

Hepatitis D

The most dangerous known hepatitis virus - one can become infected through blood contact or during sexual intercourse.

However, vaccination against hepatitis B also protects against hepatitis D

.

As with hepatitis B, the infection can be symptom-free, but in many cases there are symptoms such as nausea, tiredness, fever and / or jaundice.

Hepatitis E.

At least one in six Germans is said to have been infected with hepatitis E viruses.

Raw meat such as pork beef is considered a mode of transmission

, which is why meat should always be eaten cooked or fried.

Temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius kill the viruses.

Infection via blood transfusions is also possible, which is why new blood donations have also been tested for hepatitis E since the end of 2019.

The hepatitis E virus infection heals by itself in 99 percent of patients.

The disease manifests itself through yellowing of the skin and eyes, pain, numbness but also symptoms of paralysis are possible.

(jg)

*

Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen digital editorial network

.

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