--- title: "Hepatitis: Symptoms, Causes & NHS Treatment | HealthAnswers" description: "Viral hepatitis A, B, and C — transmission, symptoms, vaccination, NHS testing, and modern curative treatments for hepatitis C." url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/hepatitis/ robots: noindex --- # Hepatitis: Symptoms, Causes & NHS Treatment | HealthAnswers Health A–Z Viral hepatitis A, B, and C — transmission, symptoms, vaccination, NHS testing, and modern curative treatments for hepatitis C. Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [HealthAnswers UK doctor review panel](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/) Reviewed 3 July 2026 ## Quick answer What is hepatitis? Hepatitis means liver inflammation — commonly caused by viruses A, B, or C, each spread differently. Hepatitis A spreads via contaminated food and water — usually resolves. Hepatitis B and C spread via blood and body fluids — can become chronic and cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. Vaccines prevent A and B; hepatitis C is now curable with short tablet courses on the NHS. See a GP for jaundice, dark urine, or known exposure. General UK health information, not a diagnosis. In an emergency call 999 ; for urgent advice use [NHS 111](https://111.nhs.uk/) (GP out-of-hours in Northern Ireland). On this page 9 sections ## Key facts about hepatitis - Hepatitis A — faecal-oral spread, acute illness, vaccine available for travel and risk groups. - Hepatitis B — blood and sexual transmission; chronic infection in some — vaccine in UK childhood schedule. - Hepatitis C — blood transmission; often silent for decades; direct-acting antivirals cure over 95% in 8 to 12 weeks. - All types can cause jaundice, fatigue, and abnormal liver blood tests — not all cause symptoms. - Anyone who ever injected drugs should test for hepatitis C — NHS elimination campaign offers testing. ## Hepatitis — viral liver inflammation **Hepatitis** means **inflammation of the liver** — **viral hepatitis** (A, B, C, D, E) is the **most common cause worldwide**. Other causes include **alcohol**, **fatty liver**, **autoimmune disease**, and **medicines**. This guide focuses on **hepatitis A, B, and C** — the types most relevant in the UK. ## Hepatitis A **Transmission:** **faecal-oral** — contaminated food/water, poor hygiene, sexual contact (rimming). **Course:** - acute illness — [jaundice](https://healthanswers.co.uk/symptoms/jaundice/), malaise — weeks - does not become chronic - ** lifelong immunity** after infection **Prevention:** **vaccine** — travel to endemic regions, men who have sex with men, chronic liver disease. **Treatment:** **supportive** — rest, fluids — no specific antiviral. ## Hepatitis B **Transmission:** **blood and body fluids** — sexual contact, sharing needles, mother to baby at birth, healthcare exposure (rare in UK). **Course:** - acute — adults often clear virus ( 95% ) - chronic — 5 to 10% adults , 90% infants infected at birth — long-term infection **Chronic HBV risks:** - cirrhosis - hepatocellular carcinoma - requires lifelong monitoring and often antiviral suppression **Prevention:** **UK infant vaccination programme** — highly effective. **Treatment chronic:** **tenofovir**, **entecavir** — suppress viral replication — reduce cancer risk. ## Hepatitis C **Transmission:** predominantly **blood**: - injecting drug use — past or present — test everyone - blood products before September 1991 (UK) - unsterile medical procedures abroad - tattoo/piercing with unsterile equipment - needle stick - vertical transmission — ~5% **Sexual transmission:** low except **HIV-positive MSM**. **Course:** - acute — often asymptomatic - chronic in ~75% if not cleared spontaneously - decades of silent damage — cirrhosis, cancer **Revolution:** **direct-acting antivirals (DAAs)** — **8 to 12 weeks oral tablets** — **>95% cure (SVR12)** — minimal side effects — **NHS treatment for all diagnosed**. **England elimination strategy** — **test and treat** at-risk groups. ## Symptoms — all types **Acute:** - fatigue - [nausea](https://healthanswers.co.uk/symptoms/feeling-sick/) - jaundice - dark urine , pale stools - right upper pain **Chronic B/C:** - often none until cirrhosis — ascites, variceal bleed, encephalopathy ## Testing **Blood tests:** - hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) — current infection - anti-HBc , anti-HBs — past infection or immunity - hepatitis C antibody → HCV RNA PCR if positive - [LFTs](https://healthanswers.co.uk/tests/liver-function-test/) , fibrosis assessment if chronic **Anyone with risk history** — **one-off HCV test** — NHS campaign. ## Hepatitis C treatment today **Pan-genotypic DAAs** — e.g. **sofosbuvir/velpatasvir** — **8 to 12 weeks**: - cure >95% - few contraindications - check drug interactions — amiodarone caution **Retest 12 weeks post-treatment** — **SVR** = cure. **Old interferon injections** — obsolete for most. ## Co-infection and prevention - HIV/HCV co-infection — treat both — see [HIV](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/hiv/) guide - alcohol abstinence if any hepatitis — accelerates damage - vaccinate against A and B if chronic liver disease ## When to worry **Acute liver failure** — rare — **confusion, bleeding, profound jaundice** — **999**. **Chronic disease** — **surveillance** for cancer with [ultrasound](https://healthanswers.co.uk/tests/ultrasound-scan/) and AFP if cirrhosis. Hepatitis C is **now curable in weeks** — legacy of **undiagnosed chronic infection** remains — **if you ever shared a needle, get tested once**. ## ! When to see a GP about hepatitis See a GP for jaundice, persistent abnormal liver tests, or known exposure to hepatitis B or C. Seek same-day care if vomiting, confusion, or severe abdominal pain with jaundice — acute liver failure rare but urgent. Request hepatitis C test if past injecting drug use, blood transfusion before 1991, or born in high-prevalence country. Vaccination for hep A/B — travel clinic or GP. ## Common questions about hepatitis What are the symptoms of hepatitis? Acute phase — fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, upper right abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, fever. Many chronic hepatitis B and C cases have no symptoms until liver damage advanced — reason for testing at-risk groups. How is hepatitis C treated? Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) tablets — 8 to 12 weeks — cure rate over 95% with few side effects. Pan-genotypic regimens (e.g. sofosbuvir/velpatasvir combinations) on NHS — specialist or GP depending on local pathway. Retest blood confirms cure (sustained virological response). Is hepatitis B curable? Most adults clear acute hepatitis B spontaneously. Chronic hepatitis B suppresses with long-term antiviral tablets (tenofovir, entecavir) — controls virus and prevents cirrhosis — functional cure possible in some. Vaccine prevents infection. How do you catch hepatitis C? Blood-to-blood contact — shared needles (injecting drug use highest UK risk), unsterile tattoo/piercing historically, blood transfusion before 1991 UK screening, needle stick injury, mother to baby (lower rate than HIV). Sexual transmission uncommon except MSM with HIV co-infection. Who should get the hepatitis B vaccine? All UK infants in routine schedule; also healthcare workers, people with chronic kidney disease on dialysis, partners of hepatitis B carriers, men who have sex with men, and some occupational exposures. Hepatitis A vaccine for travel to endemic areas and risk groups. ## Sources - [NHS — Hepatitis](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis/) - [NHS — Hepatitis C](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-c/) - [NICE — Hepatitis B and C testing](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng50) ## How we reviewed this page Medically reviewed by the [HealthAnswers UK doctor review panel](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/) First published 14 June 2026 Medically reviewed 3 July 2026 Next review due 3 July 2029 or sooner if NHS or NICE guidance changes Written by HealthAnswers editorial team. Published by HealthAnswers (Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd). 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