Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The most common cause is infection with a virus but inflammation can be caused by drinking too much alcohol, the side effects of certain drugs and chemicals, and a liver disease called autoimmune hepatitis in which the body’s own immune system malfunctions and attacks the liver.
There are several different viruses which affect the liver: hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. The main difference between the viruses is how they are spread, the way they cause liver damage and the effects they have on people’s health.
The most common hepatitis viruses associated with injecting drug use are B and C. Hepatitis C is more infectious than HIV but not as infectious as hepatitis B. Most people recover from hepatitis B and there is a vaccination to prevent infection, which can be given in general practice. There is no vaccination for hepatitis C