Get to know more about acute hepatitis

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Get to know more about acute hepatitis
Get to know more about acute hepatitis
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Acute hepatitis is a disease that is quite commonly found throughout the world, including in Indonesia. Symptoms that arise from this condition are sometimes not detected, so it is often overlooked. To find out more what acute hepatitis is, let's look at the following article

Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease and abnormalities in the liver that causes disruption of liver function. Based on the duration of inflammation occurs, hepatitis can be divided into two types, namely acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis.

Know More about Acute Hepatitis - Alodokter
Know More about Acute Hepatitis - Alodokter

The term acute hepatitis is used for hepatitis which healed in less than 6 months. When inflammation occurs more than that time, this disease is classified as chronic and can cause other health problems, such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure, and even death.

This is the cause of acute hepatitis and the way it is transmitted

Acute hepatitis can be caused by several things, but generally hepatitis occurs due to an infection from a virus. The following are various causes of acute hepatitis that need to be known:

1. Hepatitis virus infection

As mentioned above, acute hepatitis is generally caused by a viral infection. The virus that causes this condition is divided into five, namely the hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. viruses

The five types of hepatitis above can cause acute hepatitis. Acute hepatitis A and E can recover completely in less than 6 months. Meanwhile, hepatitis B, C, and D usually develop into chronic hepatitis, can even cause complications.

2. Consumption of alcohol drinks

Besides being caused by a virus, hepatitis can also occur due to damage to the liver tissue due to addiction to alcohol. This condition is called alcoholic hepatitis, and is usually characterized by nausea, unwell, and mild fever.

Liver inflammation due to consuming too much alcoholic drinks can develop into cirrhosis if the patient continues to consume alcohol. Therefore, sufferers of alcoholic hepatitis must immediately stop these bad habits.

3. Consumption of drugs

Consumption of certain drugs in excessive doses can also cause the liver to experience inflammation. Examples of drugs include paracetamol, aspirin, sulfa drugs, and herbal medicines.

Although it is rare, hepatitis due to drug consumption should not be underestimated because it can lead to liver failure.

4. Equipment

Hepatitis caused by the liver is called non-alcoholic steatosis hepatitis. The accumulation of fat in the liver due to excess body weight can cause inflammation, so the liver cannot function optimally. This condition is usually not symptomatic and can improve with weight loss.

5. Autoimmune response

A small portion of acute hepatitis can also occur due to the body's immune system that attacks and damages the body's own cells and tissues. This condition is called autoimmune hepatitis.

In addition to the above causes, a small portion of acute hepatitis can also occur due to the body's immune system that attacks and damages the body's own cells and tissues. This condition is called autoimmune hepatitis.

In addition to the above causes, adenovirus type 41 and SARS-COV-2 causes Covid-19 are also suspected of being the cause of the "mysterious acute hepatitis" whose majority sufferers are toddlers and children. Called mysterious because the hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses are not found in sufferers.

However, this condition is only an initial allegation. This allegation is based on the findings that patients with 'mysterious acute hepatitis' are also declared infected with the Corona virus, have been in contact with Covid-19 sufferers in the last 3 months, or infected with type 41 adenovirus.

Further research continues to reveal the exact cause of this "Mysterious Acute Hepatitis".

Symptoms of acute hepatitis to watch out for

Acute hepatitis often does not cause symptoms. This is what causes many sufferers to not realize that he experiences liver function disorders. However, there are some common symptoms that can signify this condition, namely:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Unwell (malaise)
  • Decreased appetite
  • Vomit
  • Stomach ache
  • Diarrhea
  • Jaundice
  • Urine is darker
  • The stool is pale

When entering the chronic hepatitis phase, sufferers may experience symptoms of liver damage, such as swelling of the stomach (ascites), weight loss, muscle pain, bruises and bleeding, until loss of consciousness.

Given that acute hepatitis can occur without symptoms and can develop into chronic hepatitis, it is important for you to always take precautions. One of them is to get the hepatitis vaccine. So far, the available hepatitis vaccines are hepatitis A vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine.

In addition, acute hepatitis can also be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, ensuring clean and hygienic food, avoiding the consumption of alcoholic beverages, avoiding drug abuse, and using condoms when having sex.

If you experience the symptoms of acute hepatitis that have been described above, you should immediately consult a doctor to get a thorough examination, so that the cause of acute hepatitis can be identified and treated immediately.

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