There are several types of hepatitis. When thinking about which types of hepatitis are considered curable, you need to understand what hepatitis is.
Hepatitis is defined as inflammation of the liver. There can be several causes for this inflammation including reactions to certain drugs and alcohol, environmental factors and viruses. Hepatitis that is caused from alcohol, drugs or other environmental factors can be “cured” by ceasing use of the drug or alcohol and minimizing exposure to the environmental factor that is causing the hepatitis.
Viral hepatitis has been categorized by sub-types. These sub-types are letters such as Hepatitis A, B, C and so on. The virus that causes Hepatitis A comes from fecal matter and is not life threatening. There are no medications or treatments that can be taken to “cure” the person with this virus. The virus will cause flu-like symptoms several weeks after exposure and then as the body creates antibodies you get better. There is a vaccination available for Hepatitis A.
Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease. This virus generally leads to liver failure, liver cancer and eventually death. There is treatment to attempt to eradicate the Hepatitis B virus from the body but it is not a “cure.” A vaccination series is available for Hepatitis B and is given to all children when they are born.
Hepatitis C is the virus most commonly found in people with a history of IV drug abuse. It is not considered a sexually transmitted disease but can be transmitted through sexual contact. There is a treatment for Hepatitis C but the chances of eradicating this virus from the body is less than 50 percent. There is no vaccination for Hepatitis C.