Hepatitis is a deadly disease, which causes liver damage.  It is water-borne disease and it can be also transmitted through body fluids.   Hepatitis is more commonly cause by Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses.

Do tattoos and piercing body cause Hepatitis?

*Crafting tattoos and piercing body can cause Hepatitis c. Theoretically people are more prone to get Hepatitis B, through these causes. Because, the amount of blood required transmitting the Hepatitis C virus is generally large; whereas Hepatitis B is more infectious. The chance of getting Hepatitis B (HBV) through an accidental needlestic injury is closed to 33 percent around the world.

Is an HIV positive person more prone to Hepatitis?

*Absolutely.  Both the diseases are transmitted through blood and blood components. Statistically many people infected with HCV as are with HIV.

Can unsafe method of blood transfusion cause Hepatitis?

*Unsafe method of blood transmission is very common cause of Hepatitis.  Especially in developing countries like India it comparatively higher than developed countries. Epidemiological studies show that that the prevalence of Hepatitis C antibodies in blood donors averages less than 1 percent for the region.

Presently only testing for Hepatitis C antibody is available. The antibody to the Hepatitis C virus appears between 192 days in a person’s blood after infection.

Can practicing unsafe sex cause  Hepatitis?

*Hepatitis C can be transmitted because of unsafe sex. The risk of Hepatitis C spreading through unsafe sex is relatively lower than Hepatitis B.

Is a child whose mother gets hepatitis C at greater risk?

*Hepatitis c can be transmitted from a pregnant mother to the new born. (It is called vertical transmission, through the womb). Hepatitis B is more prone to transmit in this rate than HCV. But activities like breast-feeding by Hepatitis C infected mother to her child is absolutely safe. 

Is vaccination is the only way of treating Hepatitis?

*As of date only Hepatitis A and B have vaccination. It is a good preventive measure against the dreadful virus. Unfortunately, vaccination is not available against Hepatitis C.  Surgery can be performed to Hepatitis C cases.
Hepatitis damages the liver faster than any other diseases

*Hepatitis is the one of the commonest cause of liver diseases among Indian patience. Usual causes of liver diseases includes- virus, drug (used for some other treatment. Example: tuberculosis, epilepsy etc), alcohol, fat/obesity and certain vascular diseases. Hepatitis C in combination with Hepatitis B accounts for 75 percent cases of all liver diseases around the world.

Can Hepatitis be one of the causes of liver cancer?

*Hepatitis B is the commonest cause of liver cancer. Both HBV and HCV viruses are notorious to cause liver cancer. In India, two third of liver cancer patient are having evidence of getting infection with HBV. Consumption of raw see food can cause Hepatitis.

*Hepatitis E is transmitted through contamination of food and water with virus. Any contaminated food, uncooked, raw food or contaminated raw food can transmit the  deadly virus of Hepatitis.

Does long term consumption of alcohol lead to Hepatitis?

*Alcohol is also one of the common causes of liver diseases. Long-term consumption of alcohol generally goes through following stages – Fatty liver; Alcoholic hepatitis; Cirrhosis of liver. Fatty liver is the earlier stage of liver damage and more often it is reversible, means affected people get cured once they stop drinking alcohol. But Alcoholic Hepatitis and ‘Cirrhosis of liver’ are often irreversible stages of liver damage.

Dr Dinesh Kini
The author is consultant, department of Gastronology, Manipal Hospital and can be contacted on 080 25024444 / 3344