What was non A, non B hepatitis?
It was viral hepatitis caused by viruses other than HAV and HBV (generally they were related to HCV).

What is hepatitis?
It is an inflammation of the liver.

What is fulminant hepatitis?
It is the most severe form of acute hepatitis which may lead to liver insufficiency and death.

What is the difference between acute and chronic hepatitis?
Acute hepatitis is a new infection of short course; chronic hepatitis is a condition in which liver inflammation persists for more than six months.

What is hepatic cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is a chronic disease characterized by the presence of irreversible scarring of the liver and diffuse nodule (constituted of regenerating liver cells).

What is hepatocellular carcinoma?
It is cancer of liver cells.

What does asymptomatic means?
Without any symptoms.

What does incubation of a disease mean?
It is the interval of time between the exposure to an infective agent and the appearance of symptom of the illness.

What is the difference between an Antigen and an Antibody?
An Antigen (Ag) is any substance that stimulates the body to initiate an immune response to produce specific protein called antibodies (Ab) which neutralize the antigens itself. For examples HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV etc are antigens, while anti HAV, anti HBV, anti HCV etc are antibodies.

What does immune mean?
It means a protection against an infection due to the presence of antibodies.

What does coinfection mean?
It is a condition in which a person is infected with two or more different infectious virus or bacteria.

What does superinfection mean?
It is a condition in which an infected person becomes infected with another agent.

What are the genotypes of HCV?
A distinctive characteristic of HCV is its genetic heterogeneity; HCV isolates from around the world have been classified into 6 major groups, called genotypes.

What does viral load mean?
It is the amount of virus in the blood.

What does epidemiology mean?
Epidemiology studies the incidence, distribution and control of disease in a population.

What does prophylaxis mean?
It means the prevention of disease.

What does endemic mean?
It is a disease present in a country or a region at all times.

What does prevalence of a disease mean?
It is the percentage of a population affected by a disease. 

What does incidence of a disease mean?
It is the percentage of a disease arising in a population over an estimated period.

What is jaundice?
It is the yellowish sclera and skin color due to increased level of bile pigment.

What are Aminotransferases (ALT and AST), formerly called Transaminases (GPT and GOT)?
They are enzymes (proteins) present in the liver cells, which increase in the blood in cases of liver damage.

What is interferon?
It is a substance produced by the cells infected with a virus; it inhibits viral growth.