Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.
(See also Overview of Acute Viral Hepatitis and Overview of Chronic Hepatitis.)
Hepatitis is common throughout the world.
Hepatitis can be
Acute (short-lived)
Chronic (lasting at least 6 months)
Most cases of acute hepatitis caused by a virus (acute viral hepatitis) resolve on their own, but some progress to chronic hepatitis.
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Causes of Hepatitis
Hepatitis commonly results from
A virus, particularly one of the five major hepatitis viruses—A, B, C, D, or E
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Less commonly, hepatitis results from a reaction of the immune system that causes inflammation of the liver (autoimmune hepatitis), genetic liver disorders, and other infections (such as infectious mononucleosis, herpes simplex, or cytomegalovirus infection). SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) can cause hepatitis that is usually mild. The severity of liver inflammation tends to correlate with the severity of COVID-19, but mild liver inflammation can develop even when the person has no symptoms of COVID-19.
