What is Hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a highly
contagious viral liver infection that can cause mild to severe
infection or illness. Hepatitis A is preventable
by vaccine.
Hepatitis A disease is caused
by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). This
infection spreads from consuming contaminated food or water or through
direct contact with an infectious person.
Check out here viral hepatitis and non-viral hepatitis.
Hepatitis A virus is found in human poop (faeces). The virus is primarily transmitted when an unvaccinated or
uninfected person ingests food or water that is contaminated with the
faeces of an infected person.
Note - Hepatitis A liver infection is vaccine-preventable.
Hepatitis B liver infection is vaccine-preventable.
Hepatitis C - No vaccine is available for Hepatitis C.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include nausea, fatigue, stomach
pain, and jaundice. The best way to prevent and spread hepatitis A infection is
to get vaccinated.
Summary - Hepatitis A is a liver infection that causes inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The virus spread when an uninfected and unvaccinated person ingests food or water with contaminated faeces of an infected person. HAV is found in the stool that people infected with the hepatitis A virus.
Hepatitis A Epidemiological Triad
Agent- The causative agent is hepatitis A virus (RNA virus), hepatitis A virus, present mostly in the stool (feces) and blood of an infected person.
Host - The reservoir of the hepatitis A virus is only human
being infected with the virus. Hepatitis A virus infection is frequent in
children.
Environmental factors- Overcrowding, poor sanitation, Rainy, seasonPoor
standard of hygiene, contaminated water, and food.
Causes of Hepatitis
A
Hepatitis A is caused by an HAV virus that
infects liver cells and causes inflammation. The inflammation can affect liver
work and cause signs and symptoms of hepatitis A.
The virus most commonly spreads when people
eat or drink contaminated with fecal matter of an infected person, even just tiny
amounts. Hepatitis A infection does not spread through sneezing or coughing.
How contracted is Hepatitis A?
People get develop
hepatitis A infection after contracting HAV. This virus is typically
transmitted by ingesting food or liquid that is contaminated with fecal matter
of the infected person that contains the
virus. Once transmitted HAV, the virus spreads through the bloodstream to the
liver, where it causes inflammation and swelling of liver.
Individuals
contracted hepatitis A virus through-
1. Ingesting contaminated food
2. Drinking contaminated water
3. Eating food that is handled by someone
with the virus who doesn't thoroughly wash his or her hands after using the
toilet
4. Being in close contact with a person
who's infected even if that person has no signs or symptoms
5. Having oral-anal sex with someone who
has the virus
Risk factors for Hepatitis A
The risk factor of hepatitis A disease is associated
with –
1. Unsafe water or food
2. Poor sanitation/ inadequate sanitation
3. Poor
personal hygiene such as contaminated hands
4. Oral-anal sex
Mode of Transmission Hepatitis A
1. Faeco-oral route
a. Direct contact (person to person contact) - Direct
contact with the hepatitis A virus.
b. Indirect contact- Ingestion of contaminated
food, water with the faeces of an infected person.
2. Rarely by Parenteral route
3. Sexual transmission - such as
oral-anal sex
The hepatitis A virus infection is primarily
transmitted by the faecal-oral route. When an uninfected person/ unvaccinated
person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the faeces of an
infected person.
Hepatitis A virus spread through dirty hands
when an infected person prepares food or handles it.
Waterborne outbreaks of Hepatitis A virus are usually associated with sewage-contaminated or inadequately treated water.
The Hepatitis A virus can also be
transmitted through close physical contact with an infectious person such as
oral-anal sex. Casual contact with people does not spread the virus.
Incubation Period of Hepatitis A
The incubation period of hepatitis A is usually 14 - 28
days (range 15 to 50 days).
Pathophysiology of Hepatitis A
1. Due to etiological factors; Ingestion of
contaminated food or water (through fecal-oral transmission)
2. Exposure to hepatitis A virus, Virus
enters and replicates in the liver
3. Cause Infection, inflammation, swelling
of the liver
4. Hepatocyte (liver cells) damage and
necrosis of the part of the liver lead to alteration of live function
5. After 10 to 12 days, the virus is present in
blood and is excreted via the biliary system into the feces
6. Peak titers (antibody level) occur during the 2
weeks before the onset of illness
Clinical Manifestation of Hepatitis A
Symptoms of hepatitis A infection range from
mild to severe-
1. Fever
2. Chills
3. Headache
4. Fatigue/weakness
5. Anorexia/ malaise/ Nausea/
Vomiting
6. Diarrhoea
7. Itching
8. Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially on the upper right side
beneath the lower ribs
9. Dark-colored urine
10. Clay-colored
bowel movements
11. Joint pain
12. Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and/or
whites of the eyes)
Lab Investigation for Hepatitis A
1. Fecal examination - for Hepatitis A
Virus
2. IgM antibody test - Blood examination
for IgM antibody to Hepatitis A virus in patient’s serum to detection of
HAV-specific Immunoglobulin G (IgM) antibodies in the blood.
3. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - to detect the hepatitis A virus RNA
4. IgG anti-HAV test – to detect past
HAV infection
Treatment of Hepatitis A
No specific treatment exists for hepatitis
A infection. Treatment
is typically focused on reducing symptoms of diseases. Therapy is given to treat the symptoms and reduce illness called supportive
care.
Therapy is aimed at providing comfort
and maintaining adequate nutritional balance, replacement of fluids and
electrolytes that
are lost from vomiting and diarrhea.
Recovery from hepatitis
A infection, symptoms may be slow and may take several weeks or
months. In most cases of hepatitis A infection
Liver heals within six months.
Prevention and Control of Hepatitis A infection
1. Avoid alcohol
2. Maintain a healthy diet
3. Drink plenty of water
4. Practice good hygiene
5. Control of reservoir
6. Disinfectant of faeces and fomites
7. Adequate supplies of safe drinking water
8. Controlling the transmission of disease
9. Habit
of personal hygiene practices such as regular hand-washing before meals and
after going to the toilet.
10. Disinfectant and sterilization of
syringes, needles and other equipments.
11. Immunization -
Active immunization
Two types of vaccine- Live
attenuated vaccine and killed or inactivated vaccine
A combination vaccine which contains
hepatitis A inactivated and recombinant hepatitis B, are used for children
under 1 year of age and older people.
Vaccine
Doses given at
age
Route
Combination
vaccine 0
months
I/M
1months
6months
Note - A single shot of
the hepatitis A vaccine, can provide protection against hepatitis A if given
within 2 weeks of exposure.
Once recover from hepatitis A, in body
develop antibodies that protecting for a lifetime.
Complications of Hepatitis A
Hepatitis
A infection does not cause long-term liver damage, and not become chronic, Unlike
other types of viral hepatitis.
In
rare cases, in older adults or people associated with chronic liver diseases, hepatitis
A can cause a sudden loss of liver function.
Acute
liver failure case requires a stay in the hospital for monitoring and
treatment.
Hepatitis A FAQ
1. How spread hepatitis A infection?
The hepatitis A virus route of entry is faecal-oral
route, transmitted; that is when an
uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the
faeces of an infected person. hepatitis
A virus primarily by the faecal-oral route.
The hepatitis A
virus present in stool of infected person and is carried in the stool (poop) of
infected people.
2. Is hepatitis A is curable?
Currently No specific
medicines are used to treat or cure hepatitis A means there is no cure for
hepatitis A virus.
Symptoms of hepatitis
A recover or reduced with supportive treatments and care.
3.
What happens if get hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a viral infection, it causes liver
inflammation and damage. Inflammation is swelling can damage Liver organs.
4. Is
hepatitis A STD?
Hepatitis A is a virus sheds in human faeces (poop). Uninfected
individual get infected when eats or drinks contaminated food and water
infected with Hepatitis A virus. It can
also transmitted through unprotected sexual activities,
particularly oral- anal sex.
5. How can prevent infection after an
exposure to the hepatitis A virus?
Hepatitis
A infection can be prevented by getting vaccine or immune globulin soon after
coming into contact with the Hepatitis A virus.
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