Chronic hepatitis

HEPATITIS A HEPATITIS B or C (see these terms) may well have gone unnoticed in their acute phase (9 times out of 10). We speak of subclinical disease. Several years later, however, triggers chronic hepatitis can become active and lead to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.

That is why before unexplained fatigue or reduced general condition, should be performed assay TRANSAMINASES.

If the dosage of these shows transaminases elevation thereof, it will look for markers of hepatitis B IgM HBC marker of hepatitis C anti-HCV.

Similarly, the development of porphyria cutanea tarda or dry eyes or mouth syndrome must practice serology hepatitis C. and determination of transaminases.

All cases of hepatitis A, most cases of hepatitis B and half of hepatitis C cases heal without long-term sequelae.

A British study seems to show that early administration of interferon alpha 2b in the acute phase of hepatitis C prevents the transition to chronicity.

The administration of 5 million units per day for 4 weeks

Then 5 million units 3 times a week for twenty more weeks, showed that the vast majority of patients did not go to chronicity.

One must consider that liver disease (disease of viral liver to what interests us here) is when the chronic elevation of serum liver enzymes persists for more than 6 months (see TRANSAMINASES).

It should be noted that there are many other non-viral causes of chronic elevation of transaminases (HEPATITIS AUTO IMMUNE see this term, drug-induced liver disease, HEMOCHROMATOSIS qv, WILSON qv disease).

View:

- HEPATITIS A

- HEPATITIS A VACCINE

- HEPATITIS AUTO IMMUNE

- HEPATITIS B

- CHRONIC HEPATITIS B

- HEPATITIS C

- ACTIVE CHRONIC HEPATITIS

-CHRONIC HEPATITIS C TREATMENT

- HEPATITIS D

- HEPATITIS E

- VIRAL HEPATITIS