Viral Hepatitis - Hepatitis Viruses

Hepatitis Viruses

Hepatitis caused by viral means is the most common cause of the disease. Although they are classified under the disease hepatitis, these viruses are not all related.

Hepatitis viruses
	HAV	HBV	HCV	HDV	HEV
Transmission	Enteral	Parenteral	Parenteral	Parenteral	Enteral
Classification	Picornavirus	Hepadnavirus	Hepacivirus	Deltavirus	Hepevirus
Genome	+ssRNA	+dsDNA	+ssRNA	-ssRNA	+ssRNA
Antigens		HBsAg,HBeAg	Core antigen	Delta antigen
Incubation period	15–45 days	45–160 days	15–150 days	30–60 days	15–60 days
Severity/Chronicity	mild; acute	occasionally severe; 5-10% chronic	subclinical; 70% chronic	exacerbates symptoms of HBV; chronic w/ HBV	normal patients, mild; pregnant women, severe; acute
Vaccine	10 year protection	3 injections, lifetime protection	none