Viral Hepatitis

Information About Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, which is the organ responsible for filtering the blood, processing nutrients, and battling infections. Some actions and lifestyle choices, including abuse of alcohol, can cause hepatitis. In the United States however, most cases of hepatitis are caused by a virus. There are multiple forms of viral hepatitis that occur nationwide, including Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Everyone should be vaccinated against Hepatitis B. There are currently no vaccinations available to protect against Hepatitis C. Ask your internist at Washington Health Medical Group in Fremont if you have questions about hepatitis, as well as risk factors and other information.

Hepatitis B

There are at least 850,000 people—and perhaps as many as 2.2 million—who have Hepatitis B. However, approximately 2 in 3 people who have this condition do not know that they are infected. It is a major cause of liver cancer. Hepatitis B is typically spread through contact with the body fluids of an infected person.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is more common than Hepatitis B, with up to 3.9 million people estimated to be living with the condition, half of whom do not know they are infected. Hepatitis C can be spread by contact with the blood of an infected person.

It is the most common cause of both:

• Liver cancer
• Liver transplants