Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by viruses, alcohol, drugs or poisons.  This is a fairly common disease and can lead to serious scarring (cirrhosis) of the liver and liver failure.  According to recent CDC statistics, there are over 3 million people in the U.S. living with hepatitis B or C and most do not know they are infected.  Although many people live with chronic hepatis for decades without symptoms or feeling sick, the virus can cause serious damage to the liver over time.  In fact, more that 60 percent of liver cancer cases are related to hepatitis B or C.

There are three types of hepatisis:

• Hepatitis A:  Typically there are minimal complications and no long-term infection, but it can make people very sick.  This type of hepatitis is preventable with a vaccine.  The virus is passed when eating or drinking something that contains the virus
• Hepatitis B:  Long-term infections are possible and can lead to liver damage, but most patients recover in 6 months.  This type of hepatitis is preventable with a vaccine.  The infection is transmitted when body fluid from an infected person is passed through sexual contact; sharing needles when injecting drugs; or from mother to baby at birth
• Hepatitis C: Infections are asymptomatic and most people get a long-term infection that can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis).  This type of hepatitis is not prevevtable with a vaccine.  The infection is transmitted like Hepatitis B.

Lifesaving treatments for chronic hepatitis B can slow down liver damage and new treatments are available that can cure hepatitis C, but getting tested is the only way to know if you are infected.  At Medizyne, we offer lab tests to screen or detect the infection for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C.