Introduction The hepatitis viruses primarily infect hepatocytes Taxonomy login to view 7 more bullets Symptoms login to view 6 more bullets Chronic vs. acute disease login to view 4 more bullets Transmission login to view 3 more bullets Comparison chart HAV HBV HCV HDV HEV Family Picornavirus Hepadnavirus Flavivirus Defective Hepevirus Characteristics Naked RNA Enveloped DNA Enveloped RNA Enveloped RNA (circular) Naked RNA Disease Mild acute No chronic Acute Chronic (~20%) Cirrhosis Carcinoma Acute Chronic (70%) Cirrhosis Carcinoma Co-infection or superinfection (worse) with HBV Mild acute No chronic Transmission Fecal-oral Parenteral or sex Parenteral or sex Parenteral or sex Fecal-oral Mortality <0.5% 1-2% 0.5-1% High 1-2% or 25% if pregnant 3rd trimester Incubation period Short (3 wks) Long (3 mo) Short (6-12 wks) - - Carriers No Yes Yes Yes No Vaccine available Yes Yes No (in clinical trials) No No (in clinical trials) Remember! A is Acute only B is Bad (many diseases, high mortality), Big like a "great dane" C is Chronic (leading cause for liver transplant) D is Dependent (needs HBV to infect -- HBsAg must coat HDAg) E is Enteric in the far East (seen in Asia, not U.S.)