Other types of hepatitis
Key points
- Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) can be caused by a variety of factors, including viruses, certain medications, alcohol, chemicals and other toxins.
- Two other common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
- There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but there are vaccines for hepatitis A and B. Other types of hepatitis viruses that are generally less common in Canada are hepatitis D, E and G.
Hepatitis refers to any type of liver inflammation. It can result from a variety of causes, including viruses, medications, alcohol, chemicals and other toxins. Two other forms of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A and hepatitis B. These can sometimes be confused with hepatitis C, but the three viruses are quite different.
| Comparing Hepatitis A, B & C | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis A | Hepatitis B | Hep C | |
| Transmission | Fecal-oral contact | Blood and body fluids | Blood-to-blood contact |
| Disease Progression | Infection usually clears on its own. Mild illness possibly including fatigue, fever and jaundice. More serious illness can occur in people with HIV and others with weakened immune systems. | About 95% of healthy adults clear the virus without treatment. The chance of developing chronic hepatitis B is much greater for children, especially infants. Chronic infection (lasting more than six months) can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and cancer. | About one in four people (25%) clear the virus without treatment. Chronic infection (lasting more than six months) can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and cancer. |
| Treatment | None | Some people may need antiviral medications to keep the virus under control. There is no cure. | Antiviral medications cure more than 95% of people in eight or 12 weeks. |
| Vaccine/ Immunity | Yes | Yes | No |
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but there are vaccines to prevent getting hepatitis A and B.
A person can have more than one viral hepatitis infection. This is called coinfection and it can cause the person to be more ill than if they only had one viral infection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A and B is to get vaccinated against these viruses.
Other hepatitis viruses
Hepatitis D is a virus that only infects people with hepatitis B. Like other coinfections, having hepatitis B and D will cause liver damage to happen faster than having hepatitis B alone.
Hepatitis E is transmitted similarly to hepatitis A (by contact with contaminated feces, but also through eating undercooked wild meat). It is not often seen in North America. It is most common in Asia.
Hepatitis G is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, similar to hepatitis C, but does not cause disease and can co-exist with other types of hepatitis. No treatment is required for hepatitis G.
Resources for service providers
- Hepatitis C Basics – eduCATIE online course
Revised 2025.