Hepatitis facts for kids

Hepatitis is a sickness that affects your liver. When you have hepatitis, your liver gets swollen or irritated. There are different reasons why your liver might get inflamed, so there are different kinds of hepatitis.

The most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Most of the time, hepatitis is caused by tiny living things called viruses. Sometimes, it can also be caused by bacteria, fungi, or even parasites.

Types of Hepatitis

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A can spread in a few ways. You can get it from close personal contact with someone who has it. You can also get it from eating raw seafood or drinking water that has the hepatitis A virus in it. This is more common in some parts of the world.

To help stop the spread, it's important to have good hygiene, like washing your hands often. Also, try to avoid eating raw or unpeeled foods in places where the virus might be common.

Once a person has had hepatitis A, their immune system creates special fighters called antibodies. These antibodies help fight off the virus. After that, your body becomes immune, meaning you are protected from getting hepatitis A again in the future.

There is a vaccine available for hepatitis A. This vaccine can protect you from the virus for your whole life.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is different from Hepatitis A because it does not spread through food or just by being around someone. Instead, hepatitis B spreads through blood or other body fluids from an infected person.

There is a vaccine that can prevent you from getting hepatitis B. While there isn't a cure for hepatitis B, there are treatments that can help manage the condition.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C also does not spread through food or casual contact. It spreads in ways that are similar to how hepatitis B spreads, mainly through blood.

Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C.

Images for kids

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  Jaundiced eyes, which can be a sign of liver problems.

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  Echinococcus granulosus, a parasite that can affect the liver.

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  Different stages of liver disease.

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  A close-up view of liver tissue during acute hepatitis, showing inflammation.

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  The structure of the Hepatitis C virus.

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  Havrix vaccine, used to prevent Hepatitis A.

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  A map showing how many people received the Hepatitis B vaccine in different countries.

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  An illustration of a person with liver failure.

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  The Hepatitis E virus.

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  How the Hepatitis B virus makes copies of itself.

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  How the Hepatitis C virus makes copies of itself.

See also

In Spanish: Hepatitis para niños