18^th International Virology Summit

Viral Hepatitis

<p style="&quot;text-align:" justify;"=""> Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation due to a viral infection. The liver's functions include detoxifying the blood, storing vitamins, and producing hormones. Hepatitis can disrupt these processes and create severe health problems throughout the body. The three main types of hepatitis are known as hepatitis A, B, and C. Each is caused by a different virus. All three types can be acute, lasting for 6 months or less, and types B and C can be chronic, lasting for longer. The most common causes of viral hepatitis are the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E. In addition to the nominal hepatitis viruses, other viruses that can also cause liver inflammation include cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, and yellow fever. As the symptoms of the different types of hepatitis are similar, the type and severity of hepatitis may only be diagnosed through laboratory tests. There is no specific treatment for HAV and HBV. The doctor will advise the patient to abstain from alcohol and drugs during the recovery. A patient with hepatitis C will be prescribed antiviral agents, with or without ribavirin.