Features of Hepatitis Viruses:
Virus Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatitis D Hepatitis E
Family Picornaviridae Hepadnaviridae Flaviviridae Unclassified Unclassified
Genus Hepatovirus Orthohepadnavirus Hepacivirus Deltavirus Hepevirus
Virion 27 nm, icosahedral 42 nm, spherical 60 nm, spherical 35 nm, spherical 30–32 nm, icosahedral
Envelope No Yes (HBsAg) Yes Yes (HBsAg) No
Genome ssRNA dsDNA ssRNA ssRNA ssRNA
Genome size 7.5 kb 3.2 kb 9.4 kb 1.7 kb 7.6 kb
Stability Heat- and acid-stable Acid-sensitive Ether-sensitive, acid-sensitive Acid-sensitive Heat-stable
Transmission Fecal-oral Parenteral Parenteral Parenteral Fecal-oral
Prevalence High High Moderate Low, regional Regional
Fulminant disease Rare Rare Rare Frequent In pregnancy
Chronic disease Never Often Often Often Never
Oncogenic No Yes Yes ? No
Hepatitis Viruses Antigens and Antibodies Definitions:
Disease Component of
System
Definition
Hepatitis A HAV Hepatitis A virus. Etiologic agent of infectious hepatitis. A picornavirus, the prototype of a new
genus, Hepatovirus.
Anti-HAV Antibody to HAV. Detectable at onset of symptoms; lifetime persistence.
IgM anti-HAV IgM class antibody to HAV. Indicates recent infection with hepatitis A; positive up to 4–6 months
after infection.
Hepatitis B HBV Hepatitis B virus. Etiologic agent of serum hepatitis. A hepadnavirus.
HBsAg Hepatitis B surface antigen. Surface antigen(s) of HBV detectable in large quantity in serum; several
subtypes identified.
HBeAg Hepatitis B e antigen. Associated with HBV nucleocapsid; indicates viral replication; circulates as
soluble antigen in serum.
HBcAg Hepatitis B core antigen.
Anti-HBs Antibody to HBsAg. Indicates past infection with and immunity to HBV, presence of passive antibody
from HBIG, or immune response from HBV vaccine.
Anti-HBe Antibody to HBeAg. Presence in serum of HBsAg carrier suggests lower titer of HBV.
Anti-HBc Antibody to HBcAg. Indicates infection with HBV at some undefined time in the past.
IgM anti-HBc IgM class antibody to HBcAg. Indicates recent infection with HBV; positive for 4–6 months after
infection.
Hepatitis C HCV Hepatitis C virus, a common etiologic agent of posttransfusion hepatitis. A flavivirus, genus
Hepacivirus.
Anti-HCV Antibody to HCV.
Hepatitis D HDV Hepatitis D virus. Etiologic agent of delta hepatitis; causes infection only in presence of HBV.
HDAg Delta antigen (delta-Ag). Detectable in early acute HDV infection.
Anti-HDV Antibody to delta-Ag (anti-delta). Indicates past or present infection with HDV.
Hepatitis E HEV Hepatitis E virus. Enterically transmitted hepatitis virus. Causes large epidemics in Asia, North and
West Africa, and Mexico; fecal-oral or waterborne transmission. Unclassified.
Immune
globulins
IG Immune globulin USP. Contains antibodies to HAV; no antibodies to HBsAg, HCV, or human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
HBIG Hepatitis B immune globulin. Contains high titers of antibodies to HBV.