HEPATITIS A

Hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus HAV.Many cases have little or no symptoms especially in the young.The time between infection and symptoms, in those who develop them, is between two and six weeks. When there are symptoms they typically last eight weeks and may include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, yellow skin, fever, and abdominal pain.Around 10–15% of people experience a recurrence of symptoms during the six months after the initial infection.Acute liver failure may rarely occur with this being more common in the elderly.

                                         A case of jaundice caused by hepatitis A

SIGN & SYMPTOMS

Fatigue
Fever
Nausea
Appetite loss
Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes due to hyperbilirubinemia
Bile is removed from blood stream and excreted in urine, giving it a dark amber colour
Diarrhea
Light, or clay-coloured faeces

PREVENTION

There are two types of vaccines: one containing inactivated hepatitis A virus, and another containing a live but attenuated virus.Both provide active immunity against a future infection. The vaccine protects against HAV in more than 95% of cases for longer than 25 years.^[31] In the US the vaccine was first phased in 1996 for children in high-risk areas, and in 1999 it was spread to areas with elevating levels of infection.

TREATMENT

There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Sufferers are advised to rest, avoid fatty foods and alcohol these may be poorly tolerated for some additional months during the recovery phase and cause minor relapses eat a well-balanced diet, and stay hydrated.