Hepatitis D and E Viruses Cause Liver Damage: Management and Prevention are the Best Policies of Elimination These

Abstract

Viral hepatitis is a term that refers to inflammation of the liver due to a viral infection. The hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a blood-borne pathogen and only occurs as either a co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or as a super-infection of persons with chronic HBV. The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a virus that can infect both animals and humans. The HDV infection may be severe in children. On the other hand, HEV infection may be severe in pregnant women. Common symptoms of both infections are nausea and vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, fatigue, malaise, and jaundice. Both infections can cause acute for short-term infection or become a long-term chronic infection that may cause liver failure, chronic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis. There is no vaccine of both viruses, and treatments are supportive. The pegylated interferon alpha (Peg-IFNα) is the available therapy to treat both infections associated with significant side-effects. An attempt is taken here to discuss the management and prevention strategies of both infections.