Hepatitis A , Symptoms and Treatment

Hepatitis A is an acute, infectious, communicable Liver disease caused by Hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A infection occur in place where there is poor sanitation and hygiene as well as in the crowded population. It is also called as Epidemic Hepatitis because it appear in a community at a particular time.

Risk Factors: 

• Individual who work or travel in the places with higher rates of HAV.
• Individual who live with another person who has Hepatitis A.
• Individuals having oral or anal contact with another person who have Hepatitis A.
• Individual who has not been vaccinated.
• Individual with the habit of injecting drugs.
• Poor Sanitation

Transmission:
 The HAV is transmitted through fecal oral route which occurs when the environment is overcrowd and sanitation is poor. The close contact through sex with the infected person is also the medium for spreading. Inadequate hand washing raw food when taken can also lead Hepatitis A. It is rarely transmitted by blood and blood products.

Incubation Period: 

The incubation period of Hepatitis A is in between fourteen to twenty eight days.

Symptoms: 

Usually person with Hepatitis A does not show any symptoms. Some person appears with mild fever, fatigue, lethargy, diarrhoea, yellowing of skin, Clay color faeces abdominal discomfort, dark color urine.

Diagnosis:  

• Detection of HAV: IgM specific antibodies in the blood is the specific diagnosis to detect HAV.
• Elevated level of liver enzyme Alanine transferase (ALT) present in the blood.
• RTPCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) is another test to detect Hepatitis A virus RNA.

Prevention:
Vaccination , adequate hygiene and sanitation are the effective ways to prevent Hepatitis A.
Transmission of Hepatitis A can be prevented by:

• Proper disposal of human waste
• Good personal hygiene
• Proper supply of safe drinking water
• Immunization to the person who are not previously immunized
• Food should be cooked properly
• Proper hand washing
• Avoid buying of food from streets

Treatments:
There is no specific treatment for Hepatitis A . 

• Adequate rest is necessary in case of severe symptoms.
• Fatty foods should be avoided during the acute phase of illness.

Pronosis: It get recovered within three months.