Hepatitis A

Terms You Should Know

Antibodies : Proteins produced in response to a specific antigen (foreign body), which can then combine with that antigen and neutralize it.
Bile : Greenish fluid formed by the liver and emptied into the small intestine via the bile ducts; contains bilirubin, bile salts, phospholipids, and cholesterol.
Bilirubin: A bile pigment formed a s a breakdown product of old red blood cells; marked increase in blood levels can lead to jaundice from deposition of bilirubin in skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes.
Fulminant :Running a speedy course, with rapid worsening.
Hepatitis : Inflammation and damage to the liver; generally considered acute if duration is less than six months, chronic if greater than six months.
Hepatocytes : Liver cells.

Hepatitis A is one of the many Hepatitis viruses causing inflammation of the liver. A highly contagious virus, it can affect anyone. The highest incidence of Hepatitis A is in children. Nearly 30 per cent of the reported cases occur in children younger than 15 years. Although not usually as serious as other types of viral Hepatitis, Hepatitis A causes inflammation that affects the liver's ability to function.

Symptoms

The incubation period for Hepatitis A ranges from 20-50 days, which means that infectious patients, such as food handlers or children, can spread the disease well before they are even aware they have it. Incubation is shorter with increasing age.
Some people may have Hepatitis A and never develop signs and symptoms. Young children, especially, tend to have mild cases, but symptoms in older children and adults are likely to be more severe. The virus is present in the body and multiplies for three weeks before developing any problems. When signs and symptoms appear, they often come on suddenly. These include :

Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially in the area of the liver on the right side beneath the lower ribs.
Loss of appetite
Low-grade fever
Yellowing of the skin and the white of the eyes (jaundice).
Muscle pain
Itching

The most important factor affecting the severity of the disease is age. Children less than a year old rarely show clinical signs of the illness. This means that parents and child-care workers handling soiled diapers can catch or transmit the disease without knowing they have been exposed.
Most patients begin recovery within three weeks, although some have prolonged or relapsing symptoms for up to six months. About 15 per cent of people with Hepatitis A have relapses over a 6-9 month period.

Complications
Treatment
Safety Precautions