Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.
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.
(See also Overview of Acute Viral Hepatitis and Overview of Chronic Hepatitis.)
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Causes of Hepatitis
Hepatitis commonly results from:
A virus, particularly 1 of the 5 major hepatitis viruses—Hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E
Steatotic liver disease (formerly called fatty liver), due to abnormal metabolism, alcohol consumption, or other causes
Use of certain medications, such as isoniazid (used to treat tuberculosis)
Metabolism is the process that converts food into energy; uses food to produce molecules that maintain the body such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; and gets rid of the body's waste products. Abnormal metabolism in liver cells leads to buildup of fat. This is called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which can lead to inflammation and scarring, known metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). MASH can ultimately lead to cirrhosis.
Less commonly, hepatitis results from a reaction of the immune system that causes inflammation of the liver (autoimmune hepatitis), genetic liver disorders, and other viral infections (such as infectious mononucleosis, herpes simplex, or cytomegalovirus infection) (see table ). 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.
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