You may feel fine, but a routine blood test reveals something unexpected: high liver enzymes. Or you may be experiencing symptoms like fatigue, nausea, dark urine, yellowing of the eyes, or abdominal discomfort. When hepatitis becomes a concern, knowing when to seek expert care can help protect your liver health.
A GI specialist can evaluate positive hepatitis tests, investigate abnormal liver results, check for liver damage, and guide the right treatment or monitoring plan.
Observed every year on July 28, World Hepatitis Day highlights the importance of awareness, testing, and early care. Hepatitis can often go unnoticed for years, but timely evaluation can help prevent serious liver complications.
The 2026 theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” focuses on removing barriers to prevention, testing, treatment, and care. Globally, 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, and 1.3 million people died from chronic hepatitis B and C in 2024.
This guide explains common hepatitis symptoms, what high liver enzymes may mean, and when a hepatitis doctor should evaluate your symptoms or lab results.
Table of Contents
Why World Hepatitis Day Matters
World Hepatitis Day, observed every year on July 28, raises awareness about viral hepatitis and the importance of prevention, testing, and treatment. The date honors Dr. Baruch Blumberg, whose discovery of the hepatitis B virus and development of the hepatitis B vaccine helped transform hepatitis prevention worldwide.
World Hepatitis Day helps raise awareness about viral hepatitis, which is inflammation of the liver caused by viruses such as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. The liver helps filter blood, process nutrients, support digestion, and break down medications and toxins. When inflammation continues, the liver can become scarred, leading to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.
One reason hepatitis is so important to discuss is that many people do not know they have it, which is why understanding common digestive conditions and their warning signs can be so valuable. Hepatitis C often causes no symptoms for years, and the CDC notes that many people with hepatitis C do not look or feel sick. In the United States, the CDC estimates that more than 2.4 million and as many as 4 million people had hepatitis C from 2017 to 2020.
Quick Fact: Hepatitis C is now highly treatable. CDC states that treatments can cure more than 95% of patients, usually with 8–12 weeks of oral medication.
What Is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis simply means inflammation of the liver. Viruses, alcohol use, certain medications, autoimmune conditions, fatty liver disease, or other health issues can cause it. Viral hepatitis is commonly grouped by type:
| Hepatitis Type | Common Cause or Route | What Patients Should Know |
| Hepatitis A | Contaminated food or drink; close contact | Usually, short-term vaccination helps prevent infection |
| Hepatitis B | Blood or body fluids; birth exposure; sexual contact; needles | Can become chronic; vaccination and monitoring are important |
| Hepatitis C | Blood exposure, including shared needles or past unscreened transfusions | Often silent, many cases are curable with antiviral medication |
| Hepatitis D | Occurs only in people with hepatitis B | Can make liver disease more severe |
| Hepatitis E | Often, contaminated water in certain regions | Usually short-term, but can be serious in some patients |
Hepatitis B and C deserve special attention because they can become chronic. WHO estimates that 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024, and hepatitis B caused an estimated 1.1 million deaths that year, mostly from cirrhosis and liver cancer. WHO also estimates that 47 million people have chronic hepatitis C, with about 239,000 hepatitis C-related deaths in 2024.
How Is Hepatitis Transmitted?
Hepatitis can spread in different ways depending on the type of virus. Hepatitis A and E are commonly spread through contaminated food or water, while hepatitis B, C, and D are mainly transmitted through infected blood or body fluids.
Common ways hepatitis can spread include:
- Sharing needles or other equipment that may contain infected blood
- Exposure to unsterile medical, tattoo, or piercing equipment
- Sexual contact with an infected person (especially hepatitis B)
- Transmission from mother to baby during childbirth (especially hepatitis B)
- Eating contaminated food or drinking unsafe water (hepatitis A and E)
It is also important to know that hepatitis does not spread through everyday activities like hugging, sharing meals, or casual contact.
Hepatitis Symptoms You Should Not Ignore
Hepatitis symptoms can be mild, vague, or absent. Some patients only discover a liver issue after routine bloodwork. When symptoms do appear, they may include:
- Ongoing fatigue or weakness
- Nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
- Pain or fullness in the upper right abdomen
- Dark urine
- Pale, gray, or clay-colored stools
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes, called jaundice
- Fever or joint pain
- Unexplained itching
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Swelling in the abdomen or legs
CDC lists dark urine, clay-colored stools, fatigue, fever, joint pain, appetite loss, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and jaundice among possible hepatitis C symptoms. Hepatitis A symptoms can appear 2–7 weeks after exposure and usually last less than 2 months, although some people feel sick for up to 6 months.
Tip: Do not wait for jaundice before asking about hepatitis testing. Many people with hepatitis B or C have no obvious symptoms.
When Should You See a GI Specialist for Hepatitis?
When Should You See a GI Specialist for Hepatitis?You should consider seeing a GI specialist for hepatitis when there is a concern that your liver is inflamed, infected, or not functioning normally. A gastroenterologist evaluates digestive organs, including the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, stomach, intestines, and colon. Gastro specifically treats liver disease and evaluates symptoms such as abnormal liver tests, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and more for patients across the Greater Memphis community.
See a GI Specialist If You Have a Positive Hepatitis Test
If your bloodwork shows hepatitis B or C, a GI specialist or liver disease specialist can help determine whether the infection is current, past, acute, or chronic. Hepatitis C testing usually starts with an antibody test and, if positive, an RNA test to confirm active infection.
See a Specialist If Your Liver Enzymes Stay High
High liver enzymes may appear on routine bloodwork as elevated ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, or bilirubin. Sometimes the cause is temporary. Other times, it may point to hepatitis, fatty liver disease, bile duct problems, medication effects, autoimmune liver disease, or another condition that needs further evaluation.
See a Specialist If You Have Risk Factors
Testing and specialist care are especially important if you have had possible blood exposure, shared needles or injection equipment, a past blood transfusion before modern screening, tattoos or piercings in an unregulated setting, multiple sexual partners, known exposure to hepatitis B or C, or a family history of liver disease.
Seek Urgent Medical Care for Severe Symptoms
Do not delay care if you have confusion, severe sleepiness, vomiting blood, black stools, severe abdominal swelling, intense abdominal pain, or yellowing of the skin or eyes with worsening weakness. These may signal advanced liver involvement or acute liver injury.
What Do High Liver Enzymes Mean?
High liver enzymes are not a diagnosis by themselves. They are a clue. Your liver cells may be irritated, injured, inflamed, or blocked from draining bile properly. The pattern of enzyme elevation helps your doctor decide what to check next.
| Finding | Possible Meaning | Why a GI Evaluation Helps |
| High ALT or AST | Liver cell irritation or injury | May require hepatitis testing, medication review, alcohol history, metabolic evaluation, or imaging |
| High alkaline phosphatase | Possible bile duct or gallbladder issue | May require ultrasound, MRCP, or other imaging |
| High bilirubin | Possible bile flow issue, liver dysfunction, or blood breakdown | Needs interpretation with other labs and symptoms |
| High enzymes plus jaundice | More concerning liver or bile duct problem | Should be evaluated promptly |
AASLD notes that evaluation of elevated liver enzymes usually begins with a history, physical exam, liver-related bloodwork, hepatitis panel, iron studies, and abdominal ultrasound, with further testing based on the pattern and severity.
What to Expect at a Hepatitis Evaluation
A hepatitis doctor or GI specialist will usually begin by reviewing your symptoms, medical history, medications, supplements, alcohol use, family history, travel history, and risk factors. From there, your evaluation may include:
Blood Tests
Your provider may order hepatitis A, B, and C testing; liver enzyme panels; bilirubin; clotting markers; complete blood count; autoimmune markers; iron studies; and other tests depending on your history.
Imaging
An abdominal ultrasound may be used to look for changes in liver texture, bile duct dilation, gallstones, or other structural abnormalities. Gastroenterology Associates also offers diagnostic services such as ultrasonography and FibroScan, a noninvasive test that helps assess liver stiffness and fatty change.
Treatment Planning
Treatment depends on the type of hepatitis. Hepatitis A is usually managed with rest, fluids, and monitoring. Hepatitis B may require long-term monitoring or antiviral treatment. Hepatitis C is often curable with oral antiviral medication.
Hepatitis Prevention and Long-Term Liver Health
Hepatitis prevention starts with knowing your risk and getting tested when appropriate. Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The CDC states that vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A, and hepatitis A prevention also includes good hand hygiene. Hepatitis B can also be prevented with vaccination, whereas hepatitis C currently has no effective vaccine.
You can also protect your liver by avoiding shared needles, using safer sex practices, asking about sterile equipment for tattoos or piercings, limiting alcohol, reviewing supplements and medications with a clinician, maintaining a healthy weight, and following up on abnormal liver tests.
Key Takeaways
- World Hepatitis Day is observed on July 28 and raises awareness about viral hepatitis, testing, and treatment.
- Hepatitis can be silent, so normal energy levels do not always indicate a healthy liver.
- Symptoms such as jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, persistent fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, or unexplained itching should be evaluated.
- Hepatitis, fatty liver disease, medications, alcohol, autoimmune disease, bile duct issues, or other liver conditions may cause high liver enzymes.
- Adults should ask their doctor about hepatitis B and C screening, especially if they have risk factors or abnormal liver tests.
- A GI specialist can help confirm the diagnosis, assess liver damage, and recommend treatment or monitoring.
Conclusion
Hepatitis is not something to ignore, but it is also not something you have to face without guidance. Many liver conditions can be managed more effectively when they are found early. If your lab results show high liver enzymes, if you have possible hepatitis symptoms, or if you have tested positive for hepatitis B or C, a GI specialist can help you understand what is happening and what to do next.
World Hepatitis Day is a timely reminder to ask questions, get tested, and take liver health seriously.
This World Hepatitis Day, give yourself the peace of mind that comes with real answers. If you’re worried about hepatitis symptoms, confused by high liver enzymes, or unsure what a positive hepatitis test means, the GI specialists at Gastroenterology Associates are here to walk you through it with care and clarity. Call 571-248-0653 or request an appointment online today.
FAQs
Can hepatitis cause digestive symptoms that feel like stomach problems?
Yes. Hepatitis can cause nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. Because these symptoms can overlap with other GI conditions, a specialist may recommend bloodwork and imaging to identify the cause.
Can I have hepatitis if my only abnormal result is high liver enzymes?
Yes, it is possible. Some people with hepatitis B or C have no symptoms and only learn something is wrong after their liver enzymes come back high. Your provider may order a hepatitis panel to rule out viral causes.
Is a GI specialist the same as a liver disease specialist?
A gastroenterologist is trained to evaluate digestive organs, including the liver. Some GI physicians focus heavily on hepatology, which is the study and treatment of liver disease. For many patients, a GI specialist is the right starting point for hepatitis evaluation.
Should I avoid alcohol if I have hepatitis or high liver enzymes?
In many cases, yes. Alcohol can add stress to an already inflamed liver. Ask your GI specialist what is safe for your situation, especially if you have chronic hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, or abnormal liver tests.
Can hepatitis come back after treatment?
It depends on the type. Hepatitis C is often curable, but reinfection can happen after a new exposure. Hepatitis B can become chronic and may require long-term monitoring. Your specialist can explain follow-up testing and prevention steps based on your diagnosis.
