Characteristics of Hepatitis Viruses
Characteristic | Hepatitis A Virus | Hepatitis B Virus | Hepatitis C Virus | Hepatitis D Virus | Hepatitis E Virus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nucleic acid | RNA | DNA | RNA | * | RNA |
Serologic diagnosis | IgM anti-HAV | HBsAg | Anti-HCV | Anti-HDV | Anti-HEV |
Major transmission | Fecal-oral | Blood | Blood | Needle | Water |
Incubation period (days) | 15–45 | 40–180 | 20–120 | 30–180 | 14–60 |
Epidemics | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Chronicity | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Liver cancer | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
* Incomplete RNA; requires presence of hepatitis B virus for replication. | |||||
Anti-HCV = antibody to hepatitis C virus; anti-HDV = antibody to hepatitis D virus; anti-HEV = antibody to hepatitis E virus; HBsAg = hepatitis B surface antigen; IgM anti-HAV = IgM antibody to hepatitis A virus. | |||||
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