The disease named Hepatitis is associated with the organ called the liver. If the liver of the human body has been damaged due to some reason, it causes inner inflammation. Now the reasons behind this disease differ from place to place.
However, this disease can be classified into various branches such as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis A vs Hepatitis B
The difference between Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B is that the viruses that cause the infection are different from each other. For Hepatitis A, it is the virus with the same name, and for Hepatitis B, it is the virus called hepatitis B. The former is a short-term disease and less deadly, but the latter is a long-term disease and can get severe.
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Hepatitis A refers to a disease that causes damage or infection in the liver. The infection can happen for various reasons such as excessive alcohol intake, virus infection, medication etc.
It is much common in children, and it is caused by hepatitis, a virus. It does not lead to a chronic infection.
Hepatitis B is also a disease of the liver which stays for a long period of time. The recovery time of this disease is of six months.
It has the full potential to turn into chronic liver disease. The hepatitis B virus can enter the human body in many various ways.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Hepatitis A | Hepatitis B |
|---|---|---|
| Virus | This disease is spread through the hepatitis A virus. | This is caused by the hepatitis B virus. |
| Duration | Short-term | Long-term |
| Recovery time | Two months | Six months |
| Causes | Defiled food and water | Blood, saliva, |
| Seriousness | This disease can be recovered very easily. | This disease can get serious and turn into a chronic one. |
What is Hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a type of disease of the liver. It happens when the patient’s liver is infected with the hepatitis A virus.
However, much to the relief of the patient, this is not a long term disease. Most of the patients recover early and become immune to this disease.
The Hepatitis A virus enters one’s body when he or one has consumed contaminated food substances or water.
It may also happen in the case where the patient by chance came in contact with infected faeces. A person who may have had unprotected intercourse with a person who has been infected with the hepatitis A disease.
When infected with the hepatitis A virus, the patient may suffer from various illnesses. He or she might experience an inclination to vomit, high temperature of the body, pain in the abdomen etc.
These are the various symptoms one should not ignore.
This disease has the potential to break out in places that have poor hygiene and sanitation. However, one can easily recover from this disease with a proper diet and treatment.
By simply washing one’s hands daily, using fresh, clean drinking water and utensils, one can easily prevent this virus from infecting a community.
What is Hepatitis B?
It is clear from the name of the disease that the virus called hepatitis B causes this disease. Unlike hepatitis A, hepatitis B is deadly and can even cause liver cancer.
This virus survives in all types of fluids such as blood. This disease can spread through used injections, blood, unsterilised types of equipment.
Hepatitis B is not a short term disease. It takes a lot of time to spread among humans. It is a myth that this disease spreads when a person coughs, sneezes, shakes hands or even during sex.
The symptoms that start to appear in the patient have yellow skin, feeling excessively tired.
Though this disease takes a lot of time to develop, it is treatable, quite contrary to popular belief.
But it is also true that it can become chronic and cause cirrhosis that can put the patient’s life at risk.
The only solution available to all of us is that get vaccinated. But even if someone has a doubt, he or she should get a blood test.
This disease can be spread through the use of unsterilised needles and unprotected intercourse.
However, there are two types of Hepatitis B disease- Acute Hepatitis B and Chronic Hepatitis B. But both of these diseases can be contained by balancing the intake of nutrients, medicines and proper medical attention.
Main Differences Between Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis A is an infection caused by the hepatitis A virus, whereas hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus.
- The former is a short term disease. On the other hand, the latter takes a lot of time to develop.
- Hepatitis A can be treated easily, and the patient infected with it recovers very early. But Hepatitis B is a severe disease and can even claim lives.
- The symptoms of Hepatitis A are feeling tired, vomiting, fever, yellowing of the skin. If a person is infected with Hepatitis B, he or she might experience cirrhosis or liver cancer.
- Hepatitis A does not affect the patient on a long-term basis, and he or she can recover within two months. But hepatitis B can damage the liver very badly.
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
