Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What is the difference between acute and chronic hepatitis?

    Related Topic
    Digestive Health
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 1

    Thanks

    Hepatitis NSW

    We are the peak community-based hepatitis organisation in the Australian state of New South Wales. We take a partnership approach with people primarily affected by … View Profile

    Acute infection involves a short illness that lasts up to six months. During this time the body fights the hepatitis virus and clears it from the body.

    Chronic infection involves a long term, life-long, illness. The body tried to initially clear the virus but the virus has evaded the immune system and continues to replicate.

    With hepatitis A, illness lasts a matter of weeks and there is no ongoing chronic infection.

    With hepatitis B, only 5% of adults contracting the virus will have a chronic infection. Alarmingly,  90% of babies contracting the virus will develop chronic infection.

    With hepatitis C, around 75% of people contracting the virus will develop a chronic infection.

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
    Reply to this post

    You must be a Health Professional to reply to this post. to your account or now (it's free).

answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices