Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Acute (short-term) hepatitis is usually due to infection with one of the hepatitis viruses, although it may also be due to other infections, such as cytomegalovirus infection, or to noninfectious factors, such as excessive alcohol intake or an overdose of acetaminophen.
Chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis is commonly a result of a hepatitis virus infection or long-term alcohol abuse.
Other causes include certain medications or diseases, such as hemochromatosis (in which iron builds up in the body). Symptoms include tiredness, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, and jaundice.
Chronic hepatitis may also cause abdominal swelling due to fluid build-up; vomiting of blood; and black, tarry feces. Severe hepatitis may lead to liver failure.
Acute hepatitis is usually treated with rest and medication to relieve symptoms. Most people recover, although in some cases the condition becomes chronic.
Severe cases require hospital treatment and sometimes a liver transplant.
Chronic hepatitis due to a viral infection is usually treated with medication.
In other cases, treatment depends on the cause.
In all cases, alcohol should be avoided. Vaccines against some of the hepatitis viruses are available to help prevent infection

Othere related diseases

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
In lactose intolerance, the body cannot digest lactose, a natural sugar in milk and dairy products. The condition usually appears in adolescence or adulthood an...

LEUKOPLAKIA
In leukoplakia, there are small, thickened, white patches in the mouth, usually on the lining of the mouth or tongue, but sometimes on the gums or floor of the ...

LIVER CANCER
Most cancerous liver tumors are due to a cancer having spread from another part of the body (metastases), most commonly from a cancer in the colon (bowel), stom...

LIVER FAILURE
In liver failure, normal functioning of the liver is severely impaired. It may occur suddenly (acute liver failure), for example, as a result of acute hepatitis...

MALABSORPTION
Malabsorption is a general term for impaired absorption of nutrients by the small intestine. It may be caused by many conditions, including cystic fibrosis , ce...

MECKELS DIVERTICULUM
Meckel’s diverticulum is a small, hollow, wide-mouthed pouch that protrudes from the last part of the small intestine. The pouch is present at birth.
It ...

MOUTH ULCER
Also known as aphthous ulcers or canker sores, mouth ulcers are painful open sores inside the mouth. The exact cause of mouth ulcers is unknown, though a combin...

ORAL CANCER
Also known as mouth cancer, oral cancer is a cancerous tumor of the lip, tongue, lining of the mouth, or gums. Lip cancer and tongue cancer are the most common ...