Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease

Abstract

Viral hepatitis is characterized by necroinflammatory liver disease with asymptomatic, acute and chronic presentations. The “hepatitic” presentation refers to a significant rise in serum aminotransferases in the presence of normal or minimally increased serum alkaline phosphatase levels. Hepatitis viruses may be cleared with no lasting sequalae, persist indefinitely without causing apparent disease, or cause chronic hepatitis and multiple complications, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Acute hepatitis usually refers to recent onset of virus infection with viral persistence for not longer than 6 months. The susceptibility to and consequences of viral hepatitis are determined by incompletely defined host factors, the size of the initial viral inoculum, and the presence or absence of infection with other hepatitis viruses. The diagnosis of specific viral etiologies requires laboratory testing because clinical presentations may be indistinguishable from one another. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.