Understanding Hepatitis B and C: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

What is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that primarily affect the liver, causing inflammation and potentially leading to severe health complications. Both diseases are of significant global concern due to their high prevalence and the potential for long-term liver damage.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a viral infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Some people with hepatitis B never clear the virus, and many of these people appear healthy but can spread the virus to others.

Transmission Routes

• Unprotected sexual contact
• Sharing needles
• Mother-to-child transmission
• Contact with infected blood

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver. Unlike Hepatitis B, there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C.

Common Transmission Routes

• Sharing contaminated needles during drug use
• Receiving unsafe blood transfusions or organ transplants
• Exposure to infected blood in healthcare settings