Your doctor will check your blood to see if your liver is working normally. High blood levels can be a sign of hepatitis. Blood tests also look for the viruses that can cause hepatitis. Sometimes, a sample of the liver is taken with a needle and tested for signs of infection. They are called hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses, or HAV, HBV, and so on.
Viral hepatitis can be acute or chronic.
Acute means that you get sick for a couple of weeks, but then recover. Chronic hepatitis means that the liver might be inflamed for six months or more. Hepatitis A and E are both acute diseases. They are spread by contact with fecal matter, either directly or through food that was handled by someone with contaminated hands. Hep A and Hep E do not cause chronic illness.