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NexiumResearch - Glossary - Definitions
Some words have many meanings. A term will refer the reader to another definition only when the second definition gives additional information about a topic that is directly related to the first term.
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All Definitions A - Z
All Definitions H
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Hepatitis
Pronounced - heh-puh-TY-tis
Hepatitis means liver inflammation that sometimes causes permanent damage. Viral hepatitis means that a person has liver inflammation due to a virus. Viral infection of the liver makes the liver swell up and stop working well. Hepatitis may be caused by viruses or by medicines or alcohol. More about Hepatitis. Hepatitis has the following forms:
- Autoimmune Hepatitis - Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells. This immune response causes inflammation of the liver, also called hepatitis.
- Hepatitis A - A virus most often spread by unclean food and water.
- Hepatitis B - A virus commonly spread by sexual intercourse or blood transfusion, or from mother to newborn at birth. Another way it spreads is by using a needle that was used by an infected person. Hepatitis B is more common and much more easily spread than the AIDS virus and may lead to * cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- Hepatitis C - A virus spread by blood transfusion and possibly by sexual intercourse or sharing needles with infected people. Hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis C used to be called non-A, non-B hepatitis.
- Hepatitis D - Delta Agent - Hepatitis D (Delta Agent) - Delta agent is a type of virus called hepatitis D that causes symptoms only in people who have a hepatitis B infection.
- Hepatitis E - A virus spread mostly through unclean water. This type of hepatitis is common in developing countries. It has not occurred in the United States.
What Else Causes Hepatitis?
Some cases of viral hepatitis cannot be attributed to the hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E viruses, or even the less common viruses that can infect the liver, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpesvirus, parvovirus, and adenovirus. These cases are called non-A-E hepatitis. Scientists continue to study the causes of non-A-E hepatitis.
Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order
* Cirrhosis
Pronounced - suh-ROH-sis
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long term disease. More about Cirrhosis.
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