What is chronic viral hepatitis?
Patients infected with hepatitis B and hepatitis C can develop chronic hepatitis. Doctors define chronic hepatitis as hepatitis that lasts longer than 6 months. In chronic hepatitis, the viruses live and multiply in the liver for years or decades. For unknown reasons, these patients’ immune systems are unable to eradicate the viruses. The viruses cause chronic inflammation of the liver. Chronic hepatitis can lead to the development over time of extensive liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, and liver cancer. Liver failure from chronic hepatitis C infection is the most common reason for liver transplantation in the United States. Patients with chronic viral hepatitis can transmit the infection to others. How is viral hepatitis diagnosed? Diagnosis of viral hepatitis is based on symptoms, physical findings as well as blood tests for liver enzymes, viral antibodies, and viral genetic materials. Symptoms and physical findings Diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis often is easy, but diag
