Brief Notes on Viral Hepatitis, December 20, 1993

Brief Notes on Viral Hepatitis, December 20, 1993

This is a common liver disease. Hepatitis A is transmitted through the digestive tract, hepatitis B is hereditary, hepatitis C is caused by blood transfusions, and hepatitis E is also transmitted through the digestive tract. Both A and E are acute, but can become chronic, with relatively low mortality rates. B, C, and D can progress to chronic forms. Hepatitis D (HDV) is a defective virus that relies on hepatitis B for replication and often causes repeated infections with hepatitis B.