Hepatitis B and C

What is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can all cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common hepatitis viruses are hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or from mother to baby at birth. For some people, hepatitis B is an acute, or short-term, illness but for others, it can become a long-term, chronic infection. Risk for chronic infection is related to age at infection: approximately 90% of infected infants become chronically infected, compared with 2%–6% of adults. Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious health issues, like cirrhosis or liver cancer. The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated.

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness but for 70%–85% of people who become infected with Hepatitis C, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. The majority of infected persons might not be aware of their infection because they are not clinically ill. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. The best way to prevent Hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs.

What is the difference between Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are liver infections caused by three different viruses. Although each can cause similar symptoms, they are spread in different ways and can affect the liver differently. Hepatitis A is usually a short-term infection and does not become a long-term infection. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also begin as short-term infections but in some people, the virus remains in the body, and causes chronic, or lifelong, infection. There are vaccines to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B; however, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

Facts

Download this pdf file. CDC Fact Sheet on Hepatitis A, B, and C 

Testing and Treatment

What are the common blood tests available to diagnose Hepatitis B?

There are many different blood tests available to diagnose hepatitis B. They can be ordered as an individual test or as a series of tests. Ask your doctor to explain what tests were ordered and when you will get the results. Below are some of the common tests:

  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg)
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (anti-HBs)
  • Total Hepatitis B Core Antibody (anti-HBc)
  • IgM Antibody to Hepatitis B Core Antigen (IgM anti-HBc)
  • Hepatitis B “e” Antigen (HBeAg)
  • Hepatitis B e Antibody (HBeAb or anti-HBe)
  • Hepatitis B Viral DNA

How is acute Hepatitis B treated?

There is no medication available to treat acute hepatitis B. During this short-term infection, doctors usually recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids, although some people may need to be hospitalized.

How is chronic Hepatitis B treated?

It depends. People with chronic hepatitis B should seek the care or consultation of a doctor with experience treating hepatitis B. This can include some internists or family medicine practitioners, as well as specialists such as infectious disease physicians, gastroenterologists, or hepatologists (liver specialists). People with chronic hepatitis B should be monitored regularly for signs of liver disease and evaluated for possible treatment. Several medications have been approved for hepatitis B treatment, and new drugs are in development. However, not every person with chronic hepatitis B needs to be on medication, and the drugs may cause side effects in some patients. Once a person starts treatment, he or she will need to take medication for life.

What blood tests are used to detect Hepatitis C (HCV) infection?

Several blood tests are performed to test for HCV infection, including:

  • Screening tests for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV)
    • enzyme immunoassay (EIA)
    • enhanced chemiluminescence immunoassay (CIA)
  • Qualitative tests to detect presence or absence of virus (HCV RNA polymerase chain reaction [PCR])
  • Quantitative tests to detect amount (titer) of virus (HCV RNA PCR)

What is the treatment for acute Hepatitis C?

New treatment guidelines recommend no treatment of acute hepatitis C. Patients with acute HCV infection should be followed and only considered for treatment if HCV RNA persists after 6 months. For more information see http://www.hcvguidelines.org.

What is the treatment for chronic Hepatitis C?

The treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has evolved substantially since the introduction of highly effective HCV protease inhibitor therapies in 2011. Since that time new drugs with different mechanisms of action have become and continue to become available. Currently available therapies can achieve sustained virologic response (SVR) defined as the absence of detectable virus 12 weeks after completion of treatment; an SVR is indicative of a cure of HCV infection. Over 90% of HCV infected persons can be cured of HCV infection regardless of HCV genotype, with 8-12 weeks of oral therapy (20). For a complete list of currently approved FDA therapies to treat hepatitis C, please visit http://www.hepatitisc.uw.edu/page/treatment/drugs

For additional CDC information 

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Page last updated 12/12/2018

Content source: Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention