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No thanksHepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus. People who become sick with Hepatitis A usually have fever, loss of appetite, nausea and generally feel unwell. A few days later, their skin and the whites of their eyes become a yellow colour - a condition called jaundice. Occasionally, there will be no symptoms at all.
Hepatitis B is an infectious liver disease, which is caused by a virus. People who become sick with hepatitis B usually have jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), tiredness, loss of appetite, joint pain, pain in the stomach area, and feelings of sickness. Symptoms may not appear in all cases, and at least 30 per cent of seriously infected people may not show symptoms. The Public Health Agency of Canada states that in 2006 the incidence of hepatitis B was approximately two cases for every 100,000 persons and the distribution of cases varies by ethnic origin, job and risk group.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that is carried in the blood and can cause severe damage to the liver. The World Health Organization estimates that up to three per cent of the world's population is infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), including more than 110,000 Ontarians. However, one third of those infected with HCV in Ontario have not yet been diagnosed.
