Q How serious is hepatitis? Doctor tells my husband have the a form and not the b. What is the difference?
"Hepatitis" means inflammation of the liver. Although Hepatitis A and B can cause similar symptoms, they have different modes of transmission and can affect the liver differently. Hepatitis A is caused by contaminated food or drink and is usually a mild, self limiting illness. Hepatitis B on the other hand is transmitted by exposure to infectious blood or body fluids such as semen and vaginal fluids. Hepatitis A appears only as an acute or newly occurring infection and does not become chronic. People with Hepatitis A usually improve without treatment. Hepatitis B can also begin as acute infection, but in some people, the virus remains in the body, resulting in chronic disease and long term liver problems. Both Hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccination.