Hepatitis A to E: what's new?

Viral hepatitis contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. While acute infection may be self-limiting, unrecognised chronic infection and under-utilisation of guideline-based approaches to therapy contribute to increasing rates of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Our aim was to review the current evidence for screening, diagnosis and treatment in hepatitis A to E. Evidence for this review was sourced from international and Australian guidelines and high-quality clinical trials. MEDLINE was searched using structured key word strategy and retrieved articles were reviewed methodically to inform a brief and up-to-date synopsis of hepatitis A to E. We share some of the recent developments in viral hepatitis, specifically the new therapies for hepatitis C. Direct-acting antiviral therapies are safe, well-tolerated and effective. Subsidies allow access for all Australians with most strains of hepatitis C. We outline evidence underpinning efficacy and safety of treatment for hepatitis B, while clarifying some of the nuances in the setting of pregnancy and immunosuppression. We provide a simplified concept to facilitate understanding of the five phases of hepatitis B; practical for real-world setting. Hepatitis A to E is a broad topic, not all aspects of these viruses can be covered in this short review. We provided suggestions for evidence based guidelines, which are a suitable supplement to this article.