can a loved one catch autoimmune heoatitis?

Answer 1

Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells. This causes the liver to become inflamed (hepatitis). Researchers think a genetic factor may predispose some people to autoimmune diseases. About 70 percent of those with autoimmune hepatitis are women, most between the ages of 15 and 40. The disease is usually quite serious and, if not treated, gets worse over time. It's usually chronic, meaning it can last for years, and can lead to cirrhosis (scarring and hardening) of the liver and eventually liver failure. Avoid drinking alcohol if you have symptoms of hepatitis or if a blood sample has shown that the disease is active. If alcoholism is the cause, you must stop drinking completely and see your doctor. Eat a well-balanced diet. If you have symptoms of acute hepatitis, you may need to slow down. However, if you feel fine, there is no reason why you should not go to work and keep up your other activities. If you have chronic hepatitis, try to lead a normal life as far as possible. People with hepatitis B must inform their family and their sexual partners about it. They will need to protect themselves by being vaccinated against it. Condoms should be used until the vaccine has begun to work. If you have hepatitis A, you must inform your family, so that they can protect themselves against it by practising good hygiene and having injections of gammaglobulin (normal immunoglobulin). If you have chronic hepatitis, you should have regular examinations by your doctor.
Hope this helps
Matador 89

Answer 2

some autoimmune hepatitis's could be hereditary, you dont "catch" it. you are genetically predisposed or are born with it.
usually in others, there are diseases that can cause auto-immune hepatitis such as:

Systemic lupus erythematosis
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Diabetes
Glomerulonephritis
Iritis
Myasthenia gravis
ITP
Pernicious anemia
Cryoglobulinemia

not all are required to treat it, it depends on elevations in certain area's of testing like an ANA test.

other types of hepatitis that you CAN "catch" have to be ruled out.

I am not aware of a vaccine for anything listed. Chances are the previous poster meant to be vaccinated against HepA and HepB-there is currently no vaccine for HCV. regardless, im not sure that a person can always be vaccinated against hav or hbv, other factors might play a role in who can and who cannot be vaccinated.

good luck