Which virus is commonly associated with viral hepatitis?

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a primary cause of viral hepatitis and plays a significant role in liver diseases worldwide. It is highly infectious and can be transmitted through various routes, including sexual contact, sharing of needles, and from mother to child during childbirth.

HBV causes both acute and chronic liver infections, with the chronic infection leading to serious long-term complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. The presence of the virus in the blood can be detected through specific serological markers, which are essential for diagnosing and managing the infection.

Although other viruses like Hepatitis A virus (HAV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Hepatitis D virus (HDV) also cause hepatitis, they have different modes of transmission, epidemiology, and implications for public health. For example, HAV primarily spreads through the fecal-oral route and usually causes self-limiting infections, while HCV is often associated with chronic infections primarily through blood transmission. HDV requires the presence of HBV to replicate, making HBV the more prominent virus associated with primary hepatitis infections.

Thus, the choice of Hepatitis B virus reflects its critical role in chronic liver disease and its significance in the study of hepatitis viruses.