Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.
Inflammation usually produces swelling, tenderness, and sometimes permanent damage.
Hepatitis is caused by a number of things including alcohol, drugs, chemicals, and viral infections. If the inflammation of the liver continues at least six months or longer, it is called chronic hepatitis. It is spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with human feces. This type of viral hepatitis is infrequently life-threatening. It is spread from mother to child at birth or soon after, through sexual contact, contaminated blood transfusions and needles.