Viral Hepatitis (cont.)

The prognosis of viral hepatitis for most patients is good; however, this prognosis varies somewhat depending on the infecting virus. For example those patients that develop chronic hepatitis may have a worse prognosis because of cirrhosis, fulminant hepatitis (liver failure), and occasionally death . Symptoms of viral hepatitis such as fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, and jaundice usually subside in several weeks to months, without any specific treatment. In fact, virtually all patients with acute infection with HAV and most adults (greater than 95%) with acute HBV recover completely. Complete recovery from viral hepatitis means that:

• the hepatitis virus has been completely eliminated from the liver by the body's immune system,
• the inflammation in the liver subsides,
• the patient develops immunity to future infection with the same virus, and
• the patient cannot transmit the infection to others.

Unfortunately, not all patients with viral hepatitis recover completely. Five percent of patients with acute HBV infection and about 60% of patients with acute HCV infection develop chronic hepatitis. Patients (about 0.5% to 1%) that develop fulminant hepatitis have about an 80% fatality rate. Chronic HCV infections are the leading cause for liver transplants.

Because the liver works to detoxify substances, this task is compromised during acute and chronic viral hepatitis infections. Consequently, avoiding items that may stress the compromised livers function (for example, alcohol, smoking, taking drugs that require liver processing) should be strongly considered by the patient to improve their prognosis. .

REFERENCES:

CDC.gov. Viral Hepatitis Statistics & Surveillance

CDC.gov. Viral Hepatitis.

CDC.gov. The HHS Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis

WebMD.com. Digestive Diseases and Hepatitis.

Previous contributing author: Dennis Lee, MD.

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/viral_hepatitis/article.htm