Hepatitis is a medical condition in which the liver gets inflamed, generally due to a viral infection. However, other factors may also cause the disease. In such cases, patients face autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis as a side-effect of consuming certain drugs, medications, alcohol, or toxins. The former is a type of hepatitis in which the body produces antibodies that fight the liver tissue.

This disease hampers the liver’s ability to function effectively to do the following:

• Produce bile
• Filter toxins out of the body
• Break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins
• Store glycogen
• Synthesize clotting factors and blood proteins

Treatment options for this disease vary based on the hepatitis type one is suffering from, and some forms of the disease can be prevented via lifestyle precautions and immunizations.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 4.5 million citizens of the country suffer from chronic hepatitis B and C, and many are not even aware that they have the disease.

There are five viral hepatitis types, which are hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Each type of virally transmitted hepatitis is caused by a different virus:

1. Hepatitis A (HAV)
The Hepatitis A virus is responsible for this type of hepatitis. It is generally transmitted through water or food contaminated with the feces of an infected person. It may happen when a water source supplies contaminated water or when an infected person prepares food without cleaning their hands properly.

2. Hepatitis B (HBV)
This type is transmitted through contact with body fluids of an infected person, like vaginal secretions, blood, and semen. The risk of contracting this type of hepatitis increases through sexual contact with an infected partner or by sharing a razor with them. As per the CDC, over one million people in America and almost 350 million people globally live with this chronic illness, and most are unaware that they suffer from this condition.

3. Hepatitis C (HCV)

Caused by the hepatitis C virus, this is typically transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids, sexual contact, and injection drug use. Close to 2.4 million citizens of the country are living with a viral infection of this type of hepatitis.

4. Hepatitis D (hepatitis delta)
Caused by the hepatitis D virus, this is a severe liver disease. The hepatitis D virus (HDV) can be transmitted via direct contact with infected blood. This is one of the rare forms of the disease and only occurs alongside the HBV infection. The HDV cannot multiply by itself and requires the HBV to do so.

5. Hepatitis E (HEV)
A waterborne disease, this is primarily seen among people living in regions of low sanitation. It is usually transmitted by ingesting feces that has contaminated a water supply source. This type is uncommon in America. As per the CDC, cases of this type of hepatitis have been reported in Central America, the Middle East, and Africa.