There is a vaccine against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but there is no vaccine against hepatitis C. Screening for HBV and HCV is recommended for certain at-risk individuals.
What causes hepatitis?
Hepatitis can be caused by:
- viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV)
- substances that are toxic to the liver (alcohol, medicines, chemical products, etc.)
- an autoimmune disease with no clear cause.
How are the different types of hepatitis transmitted?
Hepatitis A
- Eating food or water contaminated with faecal matter
- During sexual relations with oral-anal contact (STD)
Hepatitis A and E are particularly prevalent in countries with poor sanitation.
Hepatitis B
- During sexual relations without using a condom (STD)
- Via contaminated blood (medical injection or drug injection)
- From mother to child at birth or from a member of the family to a child
Hepatitis C
- Through contaminated blood (drug injection, blood transfusions, medical injections, taking cocaine, tattoos, piercings with unsterilized equipment)
- During sexual relations without using a condom (STD)
- From mother to child
Hepatitis D
Only people infected with HBV can contract hepatitis D. The co-infection with HDV and HBV can aggravate the disease but vaccinations against hepatitis B protect against the HDV infection.
Hepatitis E
- Eating food or water contaminated by faecal matter (genotype 1)
- Through contaminated blood (transfusion of contaminated blood products)
- Eating raw pork products (genotype 3)