From hepatic diseases and jaundice to viral hepatitis: the configuration of a kaleidoscope

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 116 - 122
• Main Authors: Gaze, Rosangela, Carvalho, Diana Maul de, Santoro-Lopes, Guilherme, Tura, Luiz Fernando Rangel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil 01.02.2013
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Hepatitis Viruses - pathogenicity; Hepatitis, Chronic - epidemiology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - classification; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - epidemiology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - history; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - transmission; History, 20th Century; Humans; Jaundice - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1518-8787
• DOI: 10.1590/S0034-89102013000100015

Viral hepatitis A, B, C, D and E--systemic hepatotropic viral infections--present as acute hepatitis that, depending on the etiological agent, viral load and host conditions, may evolve into chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer and acute fulminant disease. The ecological versatility of these viruses, their spectrum of transmission in time and space, potentialized by the sub-clinical course of a large proportion of infections, comprise an epidemiological challenge. This essay describes scenarios and tendencies in the socioepidemiologic profile, based on the history of these infections, and indicates the need to overcome patterns, models, and protocols and instead investigate each particular situation. In other words, it highlights the need to explore singularities in order to be able to develop new proposals for general actions tailored to local specificities.