One Word, Several Meanings

Mention hepatitis to someone you know and that person might think of different things. To some, hepatitis is only a virus that infects the liver. Others associate hepatitis with a specific type of liver infection such as hepatitis C. Someone else may think only of related things like cirrhosis and jaundice. One thing is certain, the word hepatitis needs to be better understood.

Hepatitis is simply inflammation of the liver. However, there are many causes of this inflammation. In the United States, some of the common causes are viruses which lead to diseases called hepatitis A, B or C. But there are also noninfectious causes like obesity, alcohol, toxins and metabolic disorders. All of these things can cause liver inflammation and lead to a diagnosis of hepatitis. To learn more about the many causes of hepatitis, check out my short overview.