HEPATITIS- Inside journey (1)

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, which result in liver cell damage and destruction. The major causes of hepatitis are specific hepatitis viruses, alcohol, and drugs. The other less common causes include other viruses (e.g. infectious mononucleosis, yellow fever, and cytomegalovirus) and leptospirosis. The parasitic infections (e.g. schistosomiasis, malaria, amebiasis) affect the liver but do not cause true hepatitis. Pyogenic infections and abscesses are also generally considered to separate problems. Involvement of the liver with TB and other granulomatous infiltrations is called granulomatous hepatitis, however clinical, biochemical, and histologic features differ from those of diffuse hepatitis.

Various systemic infections and other illnesses may produce small focal areas of hepatic necrosis and inflammation. This nonspecific reactive hepatic causes minor liver function abnormalities but is usually asymptomatic.

Hepatitis can be divided in two categories:
• Acute hepatitis
• Chronic hepatitis

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