What’s Worse, Hepatitis A, B, or C?

What’s Worse, Hepatitis A, B, or C?
Symptoms
  • Fatigue/tiredness
  • Fever
  • Yellow skin or eyes
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dark urine
  • Light-colored stools
  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue/tiredness
  • Fever
  • Yellow skin or eyes
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dark urine
  • Light-colored stools
  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain
  • Vomiting
  • Joint pain
  • Fatigue/tiredness
  • Fever
  • Yellow skin or eyes
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dark urine
  • Light-colored stools
  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain
  • Vomiting
Causes
  • Exposure to feces of someone with hepatitis A
  • Infected food and water
  • Caused by hepatitis A virus
  • Exposure to blood, semen, or vaginal fluids of someone with hepatitis B
  • Can be passed from mother to baby at birth
  • Caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV)
  • Exposure to blood of someone with hepatitis C
  • Can be passed from mother to baby at birth, although rare
  • Caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV)
Incubation period 15-50 days (average 28 days) 45-160 days (average 90 days) 14-180 days (average 45 days) Risk population
  • People who share a bathroom or kitchen with someone with hepatitis A
  • People who live or travel to areas where hepatitis A is common
  • People who have sex with someone with hepatitis A
  • People who work or attend daycare or other places where people need diapers or help with toileting
  • People who share or work with needles for injecting drugs, tattooing, or piercing
  • People who have sex with someone with Hepatitis B
  • People who may be exposed to blood or bodily fluids on the job
  • People who share or handle razors, toothbrushes, or other personal care items with someone with hepatitis B
  • People who share or work with needles for injecting drugs, tattooing, or piercing
  • People who have sex with someone with hepatitis C
  • People who may have received blood, blood products, or an organ transplant before 1992
Vaccinations
  • Yes
  • May be given at one year of age or after
  • Yes
  • Should be started at birth
  • Everyone from birth to 18 years of age should be vaccinated
  • Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B should get the vaccine within 12 hours
No vaccination available; however, research is positive in this aspect Treatment
  • No treatment required
  • May go away by itself within 2-6 months
Treatment is available Treatment is available Post diagnosis
  • Rest
  • Don’t drink alcohol
  • Only take doctor-approved medicines
  • Eat healthy
  • Get regular check-ups
  • Get hepatitis A vaccine
  • Don’t donate blood, organs, or tissue
  • Rest
  • Don’t drink alcohol
  • Only take doctor-approved medicines
  • Eat healthy 
  • Get regular check-ups
  • Get hepatitis A and B vaccines
  • Don’t donate blood, organs, or tissue
  • Rest
  • Don’t drink alcohol
  • Only take doctor-approved medicines
  • Eat healthy 
  • Get regular check-ups
  • Get hepatitis A and B vaccines
  • Don’t donate blood, organs, or tissue
Severity Rarely severe
  • Chronic
  • In the United States, about 2,000 people die each year from hepatitis B
  • Death from chronic liver disease occurs in 15%-25% of chronically infected people
  • People who have chronic HBV infection have a much higher risk of liver failure and liver cancer
  • Can be deadly
  • In the United States, about 20,000 people die each year from HCV. People who have chronic HCV infection have a much higher risk of liver failure and liver cancer
  • Chronic HCV-related liver disease is the leading cause for liver transplant