Difference Between Hepatitis and Jaundice

Hepatitis is said to be the inflammation of the liver cells due to the attack of virus, bacteria, parasites, drugs, ischemia, toxins, etc. On the other hand, when there is surplus deposition of the bile pigment in blood especially of bilirubin, resulting in the yellow discoloration of the eye (sclera), skin, it is called as Jaundice.

Hepatitis is the liver disease, while jaundice is a sign of the increased production of a yellow pigment called bilirubin in the blood. Hepatitis and jaundice are two major medical conditions of the liver, having different causing factors. The various function of the liver is to purify blood coming from the digestive system, secretion of bile, detoxification of chemicals, metabolization of drugs, and in protein production.

Though many hepatitis patients may suffer from the post effect of jaundice, but the patient suffering jaundice does not have the chances of causing hepatitis all time as seen in newborn babies. Given below are the important points which distinguish both the medical condition in the more clear way.

Content: Hepatitis Vs Jaundice

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Conclusion

Comparison Chart

Basis for Comparison	Hepatitis	Jaundice
Meaning	Hepatitis is the infection of the liver, mainly due to viral, parasitic, or bacterial attack.	Jaundice is caused due to the presence of bilirubin in higher quantity in blood. Bilirubin is a yellow color pigment that body makes from degradation of hemoglobin. It results in the discoloration of eyes, skin, nails and urine into yellow color.
What is it	It is a disease.	It is a symptom and sign of disease.
It results in	Hepatitis results in the attack of the hepatitis virus and ultimately damaging the liver tissue.	The main cause of jaundice is the increased level of bilirubin pigment in the blood, and thus affecting the eye, skin, etc.
Types	1. Hepatitis A. 2. Hepatitis B. 3. Hepatitis C. 4. Hepatitis D. 5. Hepatitis E	1. Hepatocellular jaundice. 2. Obstructive jaundice. 3. Hemolytic jaundice.
Diagnosis	Diagnosis 1.Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). 2. Bile acids. 3. Asparate transaminase or serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT). 4. Lactate dehyrogenase. 5. Prothombium time. 6. Albumin. 7. Bile acids.	1. Hepatic/ Hepatocellular. 2. Pre-hepatic/ hemolytic. 3. Post-Hepatic/ cholestatic. 4. Full blood count (FBC). 5.Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). 6. Bilirubin test.
Treatment	Hepatits is treated according to the attack of the type of virus, it has been caused by.	Jaundice is treated according to the amount of percentage it has affected.

Definition of Hepatitis

Hepatitis is the inflammation or infection of the liver due to the virus, bacteria, parasites, toxins, etc. It is curable but sometimes may lead to liver cirrhosis or malignancy, fibrosis.

The virus called as ‘hepatitis virus‘ is the most common cause of hepatitis and other reasons can be an autoimmune disease, infections, alcohol, toxins, and medications.

Types of hepatitis

There are basically 5 types of hepatitis:
1. Hepatitis A – This is caused due to the consumption of contaminated food and water. The person will suffer from loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, loose stools, dark color urine, and jaundice. Though there is no specific treatment for this disease, and gradually the person will recover by its own.

2. Hepatitis B – In this case, a person may experience signs of jaundice like vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urination, lethargy and other symptoms of acute infection. This is mainly caused by sexual transmission and blood.

3. Hepatitis C – Signs and symptoms are same as that of hepatitis A and B, while it occurs due to the direct contact with the infected blood.

4. Hepatitis D – There are many chances of occurrence of hepatitis D, to the person who is suffering from hepatitis B. Infection from hepatitis D is also called as Superinfection. Usually, hepatitis B vaccine is given, which gives protection against hepatitis D virus.

5. Hepatitis E – The root cause is the consumption of contaminated water. As there is the loss of water also, so hydration is compulsory treatment.

Definition of Jaundice

Jaundice is a very frequent and commonly occurring medical condition nowadays, and usually observed in infants, children and sometimes in adults. It results in the yellow discoloration of the eye (sclera), skin and urine. It is due to the condition called Hyperbilirubinemia, where the level of bilirubin increase in the blood.

Like the other waste material which gets excreted through urine, Bilirubin is also a waste material of degradation of hemoglobin. But being insoluble in water bilirubin is incapable of excreting through urine.

So the liver function in converting bilirubin into a conjugated-water soluble material by combining with certain chemicals. This conjugated-water soluble material is then secreted by bile duct into urine and feces. This bilirubin is the substance responsible for giving the characteristic yellow color to the feces.

However, due to the hemolysis and other condition when the number of degraded red blood cells increases in liver and biliary system, it ultimately results in the increased level of bilirubin in the blood.

Types of Jaundice

Basically, there are three types of jaundice, on the basis of given pathological conditions:
1. Hepatocellular jaundice – It is due to liver disease.
2. Obstructive jaundice – It is caused due to abnormalities or biliary tract obstruction caused due to stones.
3. Hemolytic jaundice – It is caused due to increased hemolysis.

Causes of the jaundice

1. Hepatitis.
2. Liver cirrhosis.
3. Abnormalities in the bile duct.
4. Gallstone obstructions.

Symptoms and Signs of jaundice include vomiting, fever, loss of weight, abdominal pain, pruritus (itchiness), pale stools and dark urine is also observed.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis of Jaundice is done by checking the bilirubin level in blood,  Hepatic/ Hepatocellular, Pre-hepatic/ hemolytic, Post-Hepatic/ cholestatic, Full blood count (FBC), Ultrasound scan, Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), MRI, and Hepatitis A, B, and C. Liver biopsy is also done in severe cases to know the cirrhosis, possibilities of inflammation, and malignancies.

Treatment includes antiviral drugs and steroids, according to the percentage of infection. Even patients are treated with surgical interventions in case of obstructive jaundice.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, we conclude that hepatitis and jaundice both are the medical conditions related to the liver. While one is considered as disease and other is a clinical feature.

It is worthful to discuss that these are the cases affecting the liver only. The liver plays an important role in blood circulation in the body and has the ability to fight against many infections.We also discuss the diagnosis, types, and treatments of both the diseases.