Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Typically a virus, there are four types of Hepatitis: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis G.

• Hepatitis A is easily preventable using a vaccine and can be treated. It is spread through contaminated sources intaken orally, such as food and water. If contracted and recovered from, the infected person will become immune to this strain of Hepatitis.

• Hepatitis B is spread through bodily fluids including blood and semen from an infected party. It is harder for the body to defeat than Hepatitis A, although full recovery can be achieved. In a more negative scenario, liver disease can develop, followed by cirrhosis of the liver (a disease where too much fibrous tissue grows in the liver), and increased risks for other serious liver problems.

• Hepatitis C is much like Hepatitis B in how it is transmitted and can have some of the same problems as Hepatitis B, but is much harder to diagnose as introductory symptoms are usually invisible. There are no vaccines for this strain, but medicines are available to help stop the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, most people with Hepatitis C don't realize they have it until some of the more serious effects of the virus become visible.
  Hepatitis C is permanent in about half of all cases, and 1%-5% of all those who contract Hepatitis C will die from chronic liver disease.

• Hepatitis G is much like Hepatitis C but doesn't cause nearly as much damage to the liver. This is by far the least publicized strain of the Hepatitis virus.

This means that appropriate precautions should be taken when getting body modifications that involve any sort of bodily fluid (this includes scarification, tattooing, piercing, insertion of implants, and basically anything that uses a needle). Always be sure that the materials being used have been properly sterilized to eliminate the risk of getting Hepatitis (particularly strains B, C, and G).