Let me share with you a comparison between hepatitis A, B and C.
| Aspect | Hepatitis A | Hepatitis B | Hepatitis C |
| Causative agent | RNA non enveloped virus | DNA virus | RNA enveloped virus |
| Virus family | Picornaviridae | Hepadnaviridae | Flaviviridae |
| Known as | Infectious Hepatitis | Serum Hepatitis | Infusion Hepatitis |
| Transmission | · Fecal-oral route
· Often through contaminated food or water |
· Blood and bodily fluids
· Sexual contact · perinatal transmission |
· Through direct contact with infected blood
· Sharing of needles · Unsafe medical practices |
| Incubation period | Approximately 15-50 days | Average 75 days | About 2 to 6 weeks |
| Symptoms | · Fever
· Fatigue · Loss of appetite · Nausea · Abdominal pain · Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) |
· Fever
· Fatigue · Loss of appetite · Nausea · Abdominal pain · Jaundice · Joint pain |
· Often asymptomatic in the acute phase
· Chronic infection may lead to fatigue · Liver cirrhosis · Liver cancer |
| Chronic infection | Rarely leads to chronic infection | Can lead to chronic infection in a significant number of cases | Becomes chronic in the majority of cases |
| Vaccination | Available | Available | Not available, but research is ongoing. |
| Treatment
|
· Good hygiene
· Sanitation · Vaccination
|
· Vaccination,
· safe sex practice · Avoiding sharing needles
|
· Prevention of exposure to infected blood
· Safe injection practices · Avoiding sharing of needles or personal items with infected individuals |
| Global impact | Hepatitis A is prevalent in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene practices | Hepatitis B is a global health concern, with varying prevalence across regions | Hepatitis C is a significant global health concern |
| Acute vs. Chronic | Acute infection | Both acute and chronic infections | Chronic infection |
| Diagnosis
|
· Serological tests
· Viral RNA detection |
· Serological tests
· Viral DNA detection |
· Serological tests
· Viral RNA detection |