Hepatitis is a term used to describe inflammation of the liver. It can occur as a result of a viral infection or because the liver is exposed to harmful substances such as alcohol.

Key Information

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What should I do?


How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor can diagnose hepatitis based on your symptoms, examination of your abdomen and blood tests. They may arrange for you to have an ultrasound scan on your liver.

What is the treatment?

If you have hepatitis then, depending on the cause, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medication or anti-inflammatory medication that suppresses the immune system.

Avoiding alcohol can help improve symptoms.

When to worry?

If you develop any of the following symptoms then you should see a doctor immediately:

  • vomiting blood
  • passing bloody stool
  • passing black or tarry stool
  • confusion, abnormal drowsiness or a sudden change in behaviour.
  • yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice).




Symptoms of hepatitis


If symptoms do develop, they can include:

  • muscle and joint pain
  • feeling and being sick
  • feeling unusually tired all the time
  • a general sense of feeling unwell
  • loss of appetite
  • abdominal (tummy) pain
  • dark urine
  • pale, grey-coloured poo
  • itchy skin
  • yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)

See your doctor if you have any persistent or troublesome symptoms that you think could be caused by hepatitis.



Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus. It's usually caught by consuming food and drink contaminated with the poo of an infected person and is most common in countries where sanitation is poor.

Hepatitis A usually passes within a few months, although it can occasionally be severe and even life-threatening. There's no specific treatment for it, other than to relieve symptoms such as pain, nausea and itching.

Vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended if:

  • you're at high risk of infection or severe consequences of infection

Read more about hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B


It's a common infection worldwide and is usually spread from infected pregnant women to their babies, or from child-to-child contact. In rare cases, it can be spread through unprotected sex and injecting drugs.

Hepatitis B is uncommon in the UK and most cases affect people who became infected while growing up in part of the world where the infection is more common, such as Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.


However, most people infected as children develop a long-term infection. This is known as chronic hepatitis B and it can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Antiviral medication can be used to treat it.

In the UK, vaccination against hepatitis B is recommended for people in high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, children born to mothers with hepatitis B, and people travelling to parts of the world where the infection is more common.

In 2017, hepatitis B vaccine was added to the routine immunisation programme so that all children can benefit from protection from this virus.

Read more about hepatitis B.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus and is the most common type of viral hepatitis in the UK. It's usually spread through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person.

In the UK, it's most commonly spread through sharing needles used to inject drugs. Poor healthcare practices and unsafe medical injections are the main way it’s spread outside the UK.


Around one in four people will fight off the infection and be free of the virus. In the remaining cases, it will stay in the body for many years. This is known as chronic hepatitis C and can cause cirrhosis and liver failure.


Read more about hepatitis C.

Hepatitis D




There's no vaccine specifically for hepatitis D, but the hepatitis B vaccine (see above) can help protect you from it.

Hepatitis E


The virus has been mainly associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked pork meat or offal, but also with the wild boar meat, venison and shellfish.

Hepatitis E is generally a mild and short-term infection that doesn't require any treatment, but it can be serious in some people, such as those who have a weakened immune system.


The British Liver Trust has more information about hepatitis E.

Alcoholic hepatitis


The condition is common in the UK and many people don't realise they have it because it doesn't usually cause any symptoms, although it can cause sudden jaundice and liver failure in some people.

Stopping drinking will usually allow your liver to recover, but if you continue to drink alcohol excessively, there's a risk you could eventually develop cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.

You can reduce your risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis by controlling how much you drink. It's recommended that you don't regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week.


Autoimmune hepatitis





The British Liver Trust has more information about autoimmune hepatitis.

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