Hepatitis refers to an inflammation of the liver cells. It’s commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis, which may include autoimmune hepatitis (hepatitis that occurs when the body makes antibodies against the liver tissue) and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol.
The liver's functions include detoxifying the blood, storing vitamins, and producing hormones. Hepatitis can disrupt these processes and create severe health problems throughout the body.
Types of Hepatitis
There are different types and causes, but the symptoms can be similar.
Five viruses have been identified to cause hepatitis which is;
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis D
- Hepatitis E
The three most common are hepatitis viruses A, B and C. Infection with any of these three can be fatal.
Hepatitis A is always an acute, short-term disease, while hepatitis B, C, and D are most likely to become ongoing and chronic. Hepatitis E is usually acute but can be particularly dangerous in pregnant women.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus that can cause mild to severe illness.
Unlike hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A infection does not cause chronic liver disease and is rarely fatal, but it can cause debilitating symptoms and fulminant hepatitis (acute liver failure), which is often fatal.
Almost everyone recovers fully from hepatitis A with a lifelong immunity. However, a very small proportion of people infected with hepatitis A could die from fulminant hepatitis.
Transmission
The hepatitis A virus is transmitted when an uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the faeces of an infected person or through direct contact with an infectious person.
In families, this may happen though dirty hands when an infected person prepares food for family members. Waterborne outbreaks, though infrequent, are usually associated with sewage-contaminated or inadequately treated water.
Risk Factors
The risk factors of hepatitis A in intermediate and high endemicity areas include:
- poor sanitation;
- lack of safe water;
- use of recreational drugs;
- living in a household with an infected person;
- being a sexual partner of someone with acute hepatitis A infection; and
- travelling to areas of high endemicity without being immunized.
Epidemics can be explosive and cause substantial economic loss.
Symptoms
The incubation period of hepatitis A is usually 14–28 days.
Symptoms of hepatitis A range from mild to severe, and can include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
Not everyone who is infected will have all of the symptoms.
Adults have signs and symptoms of illness more often than children.
Diagnosis: Specific diagnosis is made by the detection of HAV-specific Immunoglobulin G (IgM) antibodies in the blood. Additional tests include reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect the hepatitis A virus RNA, and may require specialised laboratory facilities.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Recovery from symptoms following infection may be slow and may take several weeks or months. Most important is the avoidance of unnecessary medications. Acetaminophen/Paracetamol and medication against vomiting should not be given.
Hospitalization is unnecessary in the absence of acute liver failure. Therapy is aimed at maintaining comfort and adequate nutritional balance, including replacement of fluids that are lost from vomiting and diarrhoea.
Prevention
A safe and effective vaccine is available to prevent hepatitis A.
Safe water supply, food safety, improved sanitation, hand washing and the hepatitis A vaccine are the most
effective ways to combat the disease.
Next Post: Hepatitis B
References
Halliday, M. L. I., Kang, L. Y., Zhou, T. K., Hu, M. D., Pan, Q. C., Fu, T. Y., Huang, Y. S. & Hu, S. L. (1991). An epidemic of hepatitis A attributable to the ingestion of raw clams in Shanghai, China. Journal of Infectious Disease, 164(5), 852-9.
World Health Organization (WHO). Hepatitis A http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs328/en/
Labels: Educative Article
