TB Unimmunised adults and children going to endemic areas for prolonged periods of time should consider immunisation. Hepatitis Hepatitis is an infection of the liver. Such infections are generally serious because of the central role the liver plays in the detoxification of the body's waste products. Most of the commonly seen forms of hepatitis are caused by the very smallest micro-organisms, known as viruses. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics, and there is generally no effective treatment for most viral infections.
Prevention is therefore of paramount importance.
Loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhoea can lead to significant weight loss. The cardinal symptom is jaundice, where the skin turns yellow. This occurs because the liver becomes unable to eliminate the toxins released by red blood cells reaching the end of their normal 120 day lifespan. Although there are many different types of hepatitis, the two commonest forms are hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. Both are relatively common in less developed parts of the world. Hepatitis A is acquired from contaminated food.