What is the difference between hepatitis and cirrhosis?

Answer 1

Hepatitis (literally: inflammation of the liver) is inflammation caused by influences such as bacteria, viruses, and some chemicals. In most cases it is synonymous with "infection of the liver." It can often be cured, but is sometimes chronic.

Cirrhosis is a degenerative disease of the liver that causes portions of the organ to die. It is most commonly -- but not always -- caused by excessive long-term consumption of alcohol. It is not curable, but can often be arrested by abstinence and healthful living.

Answer 2

Hep C is a contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis c virus. There are a lot of different types of liver disease.

More Detailed Answer"Liver disease" is a very generalized term. Hepatitis A, B, and C are types of liver disease, as well as Cirrhosis, Reye's Syndrome, Porphyria, Hemochromatosis, and Liver Cancer.

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a type of viral hepatitis. 150,000 people are infected with HCV every year. Modes of transmission include blood transfusion, IV drug needles, unclean tattoo or piercing needles, having multiple sexual partners, or working in the healthcare field in a location (laboratory, nurse, doctor, phlebotimist) where you could potentially be exposed to an individual with HCV.There is a low risk (1-5%) for babies born from an infected mother, and for people in a monogamous sexual relationship with someone who has the hep c virus.

Individuals testing positive for HCV should be referred to a gastroenterologist or a liver specialist to determine the significance of the reactive antibody and whether or not the individual has chronic or acute hepatitis.

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Hepatitis C is a virus that can cause liver disease. It takes years, even decades for liver disease to occur and in some cases, liver disease may never develop from Hepatitis C.

Answer 3

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that lives in body fluids that include blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. You can get it by having unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone infected with Hepatitis B. There is also high risk in sharing needles (tattoos, ear-piercing, drug needles). Hepatitis C is caused by a virus found in the blood. Although some information about how this is passed from person to person is not clear, it is very clear that it is transmitted through blood to blood contact, such as sharing needles (to inject drugs, or for tatoos, ear-piercing, etc.).

Answer 4

These two types of hepatitis are acquired differently. Hepatitis A (and E for that matter) are acquired by the fecal/oral route. This means that people get them from eating food that is contaminated with the virus. This is seen a lot in 3rd world countries that have poor sanitation. Hepatitis C is transmitted through the blood. Usually this is seen in IV drug abusers and in people who get regular blood transfusions. It is worse than Hep A and can lead to chronic infection, then to cirrhosis, and finally to liver cancer. So bottom line: Hep A is transmitted by the fecal/oral route while Hep C is transmitted through blood.

Answer 5

"Chronic" just means "long term" - not necessarily "life-threatening" or life-shortening. (Hence why some people say "chronic backache") . Whereas cirrhosis is the final, irreversible stage of liver scarring, which is eventually likely to lead to death of the patient due to loss of liver function.

Answer 6

Liver cancer is the result of uncontrolled proliferation of your liver cells. Hepatitis C is a virus which infects your liver cells and can cause cirrhosis and liver failure. Hepatitis C is known to cause liver cancer.

Answer 7

Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver that is caused by an RNA virus, is transmitted primarily by blood and blood products, as in blood transfusions or intravenous drug use, and sometimes through sexual contact. Most cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis are of this type.

Liver Cirrhosis is a chronic disease of the liver characterized by the replacement of normal tissue with fibrous tissue and the loss of functional liver cells. It can result from alcohol abuse, nutritional...

Answer 8

Hepatitis is a disease, whereas cirrhosis is a stage of liver failure (and does not imply a particular cause).

Answer 9

Hepatitis is a very general term; viral hepatitis may be A, B, C, D, E, possible G, H. Each type has a different virus.

But also exist toxic hepatitis an others types.