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Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is just one of several organs that the viruses affect. There are several hepatitis viruses; they have been named types A, B, C, D, E and G. The most common types of viral hepatitis are HAV, HBV and HCV. The different hepatitis are transmitted by various routes such as parenteral transmission, sexual transmission, sporadic cases, transmission via blood transfusion. There are some non viral causes such as parental transmission, alcohol. The different sign and symptoms observed in the hepatitis are fatigue flu-like symptoms dark urine pale stool abdominal pain loss of appetite. Hepatitis can be diagnosed in different methods such as Physical Exam, Liver Biopsy, Liver Function Tests, Ultrasound, Blood Tests and Viral Antibody Testing. Hepatitis vaccines are generally used to control the hepatitis caused by different modes.

Keywords: Hepatitis, Liver, Chronic Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C

INTRODUCTION

VIRAL HEPATITIS

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Many illnesses and conditions can cause inflammation of the liver, for example, drugs, alcohol, chemicals, and autoimmune diseases. Many viruses, for example, the virus causing mononucleosis and the cytomegalovirus can inflame the liver. Most viruses, however, do not attack primarily the liver; the liver is just one of several organs that the viruses affect. There are several hepatitis viruses; they have been named types A, B, C, D, E and G. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B, and C. The focus of this review article is on these viruses that cause the majority of human viral hepatitis.1,2

Hepatitis viruses multiply primarily in the liver cells. This can cause the liver to be unable to perform its functions. The following is a list of major functions of the liver:

1.The liver helps purify the blood by changing harmful chemicals into harmless ones. The source of these chemicals can be external, such as medications or alcohol, or internal, such as ammonia or bilirubin. These harmful chemicals are broken down into smaller chemicals to other chemicals that then are eliminated from the body in the urine or stool.

2. The liver produces many important substances, especially proteins that are necessary for good health. For example, it produces albumin, the protein building block of the body, as well as...

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