What is hepatitis d

Hepatitis G is a newly discovered form of liver inflammation caused by hepatitis G virus HGV , believed to be a distant relative of the hepatitis C virus. HGV, also called hepatitis GB virus, was first described early in Little is known about the frequency of HGV infection, the nature of the illness, or how to prevent it. What is known is that transfused blood containing HGV has caused some cases of hepatitis. For this reason, patients who require large amounts of blood or blood products are at risk of hepatitis G.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are both infections that cause inflammation of the liver. While they have similar symptoms, they also have a few key…. Autoimmune hepatitis occurs when the immune system attacks the liver. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and…. The most common types of viral hepatitis are A, B, and C. They all affect the liver and have similar symptoms, but transmission and treatments differ…. Side effects of the hepatitis B vaccine can include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

There may also be no side effects at all. Learn more about the…. Hepatitis D: Everything you need to know. Medically reviewed by Cameron White, M.

What is hepatitis D? Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Co-infections Complications Outlook Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver, which typically occurs as a result of a viral infection. Share on Pinterest A person with hepatitis D may experience fatigue, loss of appetite, and nausea. Can you have hepatitis D with other types of hepatitis?

Share on Pinterest A person with a chronic hepatitis D infection may experience chronic itching and unexplained weight loss. Latest news Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3. Medical Myths: All about lung cancer. Related Coverage. Benefits of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns Newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine to prevent them from contracting the hepatitis B virus during their lifetime.

What is the difference between hepatitis B and C? Medically reviewed by Shilpa Amin, M. What are the symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis? Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, MD. Inflammation is swelling that occurs when tissues of the body become injured or infected.

Inflammation can damage organs. Viruses invade normal cells in your body. Many viruses cause infections that can spread from person to person. The hepatitis D virus is unusual because it can only infect you when you also have a hepatitis B virus infection. In this way, hepatitis D is a double infection. You can protect yourself from hepatitis D by protecting yourself from hepatitis B by getting the hepatitis B vaccine.

The hepatitis D virus can cause an acute or chronic infection, or both. Acute hepatitis D is a short-term infection. The symptoms of acute hepatitis D are the same as the symptoms of any type of hepatitis and are often more severe.

Chronic hepatitis D is a long-lasting infection. Chronic hepatitis D occurs when your body is not able to fight off the virus and the virus does not go away. People who have chronic hepatitis B and D develop complications more often and more quickly than people who have chronic hepatitis B alone. Hepatitis D and hepatitis B infections may occur together as a coinfection or a superinfection.

People can only become infected with hepatitis D when they also have hepatitis B. A coinfection occurs when you get both hepatitis D and hepatitis B infections at the same time. Coinfections usually cause acute, or short-term, hepatitis D and B infections. Coinfections may cause severe acute hepatitis. In most cases, people are able to recover from and fight off the acute hepatitis D and B infections and the viruses go away.

However, in less than 5 percent of people with a coinfection, both infections become chronic and do not go away. A superinfection occurs if you already have chronic hepatitis B and then become infected with hepatitis D. When you get a superinfection, you may have severe acute hepatitis symptoms. Up to 90 percent of people with a superinfection are not able to fight off the hepatitis D virus, and develop chronic hepatitis D.

Hepatitis D is not common in the United States. Hepatitis D infection occurs only in people who have hepatitis B. People are more likely to have hepatitis D in addition to hepatitis B if they. In rare cases, acute hepatitis D can lead to acute liver failure, a condition in which the liver fails suddenly. Although acute liver failure is uncommon, hepatitis D and B infections are more likely to lead to acute liver failure than hepatitis B infection alone.

Chronic hepatitis D may lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. People who have chronic hepatitis B and D are more likely to develop these complications than people who have chronic hepatitis B alone. Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver slowly breaks down and is unable to work normally.

Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue, partly blocking the flow of blood through the liver. In the early stages of cirrhosis, the liver continues to work. As cirrhosis gets worse, the liver begins to fail. Also called end-stage liver disease, liver failure progresses over months or years. With end-stage liver disease, the liver can no longer perform important functions or replace damaged cells.