Viral Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that’s due to a viral infection. It can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). The five main strains of hepatitis viruses are A, B, C, D and E
Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of blood-to-blood contact with infected bodily fluids.
In the UK:
- 180,000 people are estimated to be chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus
- 21% of all chronic cases in the UK of hepatitis B cases relate to mother-to-child transmission at birth
- 215,000 people are estimated to carry the hepatitis C virus.
You can find more information on the different type of viral hepatitis conditions by following links on the right.
