Hepatitis is a virus that causes liver inflammation. Different strains of hepatitis exist, including hepatitis A, B, C, and D. The most common types of hepatitis are A, B, and C. Hepatitis A is usually a short-term infection while hepatitis B and C can cause long-term, or chronic, infections.
A person can have both hepatitis B and hepatitis C at the same time. This article will examine the difference between these two viruses, the treatment options available, and the outlook for people who have an infection. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are both viral infections that attack the liver, and they have similar symptoms.
The most significant difference between hepatitis B and hepatitis C is that people may get hepatitis B from contact with the bodily fluids of a person who has the infection. Hepatitis C usually only spreads through blood-to-blood contact.
Neither hepatitis B nor C spreads through coughing, breast milk, sharing food with, or hugging a person who has the infection. Exposure to the hepatitis B virus can cause an acute infection within the first 6 months. This short-term illness causes flu-like symptoms. Although it is possible to acquire hepatitis B through contact with infected blood, transmission often occurs through bodily fluids. Hepatitis B transmission may occur through sex, and a woman can pass the infection to a baby during childbirth.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC report that the younger a person is when they contract a hepatitis B infection, the more likely it is that they will have a chronic infection. For instance, an estimated 90 percent of infants with the virus will develop a chronic infection. Hepatitis C can also cause an acute infection.
However, about 50 percent of people with hepatitis C do not know that they have it. Additional key facts about the hepatitis C virus from the CDC include:. People who received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before could also have contracted the infection during this procedure. After , doctors began screening blood for hepatitis C before giving people blood transfusions.
Hepatitis B symptoms in the acute phase usually occur within 6 months of the initial virus exposure. About 15 to 25 percent of people with hepatitis B get chronic liver disease, which can include liver damage, cirrhosis , and liver cancer.
You can use various licensed antiviral medications as treatment for HBV. There are definitely differences in the treatment of the two since HBV really needs medical help to be cured. Enrich your knowledge of hepatitis and do your best to avoid it.
Though hepatitis A and B share a few similarities, they do have their own notable differences. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
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Cuthbert JA. Hepatitis A: old and new. Clin Microbiol Rev. Liang TJ. Hepatitis B: the virus and disease. This can happen by:. The incubation period for hepatitis B can range from 60 to days 90 days on average. However, not everyone who has acute hepatitis B will experience symptoms. About 95 percent of adults completely recover from hepatitis B.
However, hepatitis B can also become chronic. The risk of chronic hepatitis B is greatest in those who were exposed to HBV as young children. When this happens, symptoms and liver damage may occur. People with a weakened immune system and those being treated for hepatitis C are at a higher risk for HBV reactivation. Similarly to hepatitis A, acute hepatitis B is typically treated using supportive measures. Antiviral medications are available for people with chronic hepatitis B.
Some examples of these medications include:. People with chronic hepatitis B will need to be monitored by a healthcare professional. This is necessary to detect any signs of liver damage or liver cancer. A vaccine is available for hepatitis B. Vaccination is also recommended for adults who are at a higher risk for contracting HBV. The symptoms of acute hepatitis B can last for weeks to months and are often mild.
More serious illness can happen in older adults. Having chronic hepatitis B can increase your risk for developing cirrhosis or liver cancer. However, when HBV is diagnosed and treated early, the chances of serious complications are lower. The condition contributed to a total of 1, deaths in the United States in HCV is transmitted by blood and bodily fluids that can contain blood.
Some of the ways that you can contract HCV include:. The average incubation period for hepatitis C is between 14 and 84 days , but it can last up to days. Some people only experience an acute illness , after which the body clears the virus. Like hepatitis B, acute hepatitis C can last from weeks to months. More than half of people with hepatitis C develop a chronic form of the disease. People with chronic hepatitis C can eventually develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.
This often takes many years to happen. Some factors that can put you at increased risk for developing cirrhosis include:. Effective antiviral drugs are available for people with HCV.
Currently, the same antiviral drugs are recommended for both acute and chronic hepatitis C. A course of antiviral therapy for HCV typically includes 8 to 12 weeks of oral medication.
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