Hepatitis

Question 0

What are the causes of hepatitis?

Answer 0

Bacterial and viral infections, toxic drug reactions, chemicals, autoimmune diseases.

Question 1

What is hepatitis?

Answer 1

Inflammation of the liver (i.e. not biliary tract)

Question 2

What are the two types of hepatitis?

Answer 2

Acute and chronic.

Question 3

What drug reactions can cause acute hepatitis?

Answer 3

Paracetamol, antibiotics, statins, street drugs.

Question 4

What viruses can cause viral hepatitis?

Answer 4

Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E; herpesviruses: cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus

Question 5

What are the two phases of viral hepatitis?

Answer 5

Incubation and icteric.

Question 6

What are the symptoms in the incubation phase and why is it dangerous?

Answer 6

Either none or non-specifically unwell but HIGHLY INFECTIOUS.

Question 7

What are the symptoms of the icteric phase? Why is HepC abnormal?

Answer 7

Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, jaundice. HepC is often asymptomatic.

Question 8

What percentages of people recover compared to acquire chronic HepC after being infected with acute HepC?

Answer 8

20% completely recover; 80% acquire chronic HepC

Question 9

Of those 80% who acquire chronic HepC, what percentages of people suffer cirrhosis compared to asymptomatic HepC?

Answer 9

30% suffer cirrhosis; 70% are aymptomatic

Question 10

Of the 30% of cirrhosis sufferers due to chronic HepC, what percentage of people progress to hepatocellular carcinoma?

Answer 10

1-4% per annum