What is Hepatitis A: Meaning, Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Hepatitis is a disease caused by viruses that affect the liver. Every year there are 1.5 million cases of Hepatitis A worldwide. This virus is highly contagious and spreads through contaminated food or water. The symptoms are not severe compared to other Hepatitis diseases but can lead to various other critical diseases if left untreated.

Keep reading to learn more about this disease and ways to detect and overcome it.

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What Is Hepatitis A?

It is the most common type of Hepatitis that is caused by the Hepatitis A virus. This disease affects the liver and causes infections and inflammation. c However, this disease does not require serious medical attention. People infected by the HAV usually recover on their own within a few days. In most cases, the effects of the disease on the liver are short-term, and it causes no permanent damage.

How Is Hepatitis A Virus Transmitted?

Hepatitis A virus is primarily transmitted when an uninfected individual consumes food or water that contains faeces of the virus. For example, this may happen when members of their family consume food made by an infected person.

Hepatitis A is also transmitted when an individual comes into close contact with an infected individual. Sexual intercourse can result in the transmission of Hepatitis A.

What Are the Symptoms of Hepatitis A?

The symptoms of Hepatitis A are generally mild and in some cases, there are no symptoms at all. People who experience symptoms usually experience the following:

Fever.
Fatigue.
Nausea.
Dark urine.
Abdominal pain.
Pain in the joints.
Sudden weight loss.
Jaundice (condition where the eyes and skin start to become yellow).

Children below the age of 6 years usually do not experience any symptoms if infected. In most cases, the severity of the symptoms depends on the individual's age. They are severe in people who are older compared to middle-aged people.

There are chances of relapsing during recovery from the disease. People who recover sometimes fall back sick. However, it is not worrisome and is part of the recovery process.

What Are the Causes of Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is caused by the Hepatitis A virus, also known as the HAV virus. It spreads when people eat food or drink water contaminated by the faeces of other infected individuals, carried by insects like flies. Being in close contact with an infected person can also cause Hepatitis A.

Mentioned below are a few ways through which a person can get infected by the HAV :

Having food that is prepared by somebody who has Hepatitis A.
Eating food prepared by somebody who does not wash their hands before cooking.
Eating food that has been washed in contaminated water.
Eating raw shellfish from contaminated sewage.
Drinking contaminated water.
Being in sexual contact with somebody infected.

What Are the Risk Factors of Hepatitis A?

Individuals could be at an increased risk of being infected by the virus for the following reasons:

Travelling to places which have a higher transmission rate of the disease.
Intake of drugs.
Staying in an area which is close to a day-care centre.
Living in a household with an infected individual.
Living in an area with poor sanitation.
Intake of recreational drugs.
Involving in sexual activity with an infected individual.

How to Diagnose Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is not distinguishable from other Hepatitis infections. Some individuals have symptoms like jaundice while treating which Hepatitis A is detected. However, in most cases, there are no symptoms, and the disease remains undiagnosed.

However, lack of diagnosis does not create any complications with the condition. Blood tests are conducted to diagnose the disease if there are visible symptoms. Blood tests detect the presence of the Hepatitis A virus in the blood.

How to Treat Hepatitis A?

There is no specific treatment for Hepatitis A. Doctors aim to provide medication that reduces the symptoms and provides comfort. Doctors will also suggest the following things while recovering from the disease:

Maintain a Balanced Diet and Stay Hydrated: Most people feel nauseous and do not feel the need to eat. However, this makes the condition worse. It leads to feeling a constant lack of energy. Therefore, it is essential to have adequate food and drink enough water and fluids.
Avoid Alcohol: Hepatitis A affects the liver, and alcohol consumption worsens it. In addition, during the recovery process, the body is already weak and consuming alcohol will have a more substantial effect on the liver. This might cause severe and permanent damage to the liver.
Get Adequate Rest: The recovery process may take longer for some, but it is essential to rest for however long it takes.

In some cases, the symptoms may take more than a few weeks to go away. Some people consider being hospitalised if the symptoms are hard to eliminate.

How Is Vaccine Effective to Treat Hepatitis A?

The most effective way of preventing Hepatitis A is by getting the vaccine. It is given in 2 doses within 6 to 12 months. The vaccine is not to be given to children below the age of 1 year.

There are places where the transmission of the disease is relatively common. Therefore, it is suggested that people take the vaccine 2 weeks before travelling to such places. However, several vaccines are available internationally for the treatment of the disease.

How to Prevent Hepatitis A?

Apart from vaccines, certain measures can eliminate the possibility of getting infected. In addition, some of the measures may help an entire community as a whole. For example, individuals can follow the below-mentioned practices to prevent Hepatitis A:

Maintain proper sanitation. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after meals, before cooking and after using the bathroom.
Avoid eating from places which do not maintain minimum standards of hygiene.
Avoid eating food in areas which are not hygienic.
Facilitate the availability of safe drinking water.
Drink bottled water instead of drinking it from local sources.
Develop proper sewage disposal plans.

When to see a doctor?

A doctor should be consulted when an individual notices the symptoms of Hepatitis A. It is necessary to understand the chances of having Hepatitis A by analysing one’s activities. If there are symptoms after you have done any of the following:

Been in contact with an infected individual.
Been sexually active with an individual with some symptoms.
Had food from a place which was not well sanitised.
Consumed water from a local source.

This is all for Hepatitis A, a viral disease that is transmitted through contamination. Though the symptoms show no signs of severity, if left unattended may give rise to several critical health conditions. Nevertheless, maintaining healthy and hygienic surroundings can prevent such diseases and help you lead a disease-free life.

FAQs About Hepatitis A Virus

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What should your diet include to avoid liver damage from Hepatitis?

Your diet should include plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as oats, brown rice, barley, and quinoa, lean protein such as fish, skinless chicken, egg whites, and beans, low-fat or non-fat dairy products, healthy fats like those in nuts, avocados, and olive oil etc.

What to avoid eating or drinking in Hepatitis A?

One should avoid having saturated fats found in butter, sour cream, and other high-fat dairy foods, fatty cuts of meat, and fried foods, sugary treats like cookies, cake, soda, and packaged baked goods, foods heavily laced with salt,alcohol etc.

Which vitamins or minerals can cause liver damage during the infected period from Hepatitis A?

Vitamins or minerals that can cause liver damage during the infected period from Hepatitis are Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin C, Vitamin D etc.