Understanding What Causes Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a type of liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. In this, the person may become mildly ill or seriously ill and it may last for a few weeks to months.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 100 million people are infected with hepatitis A each year globally. Although this liver infection is generally considered common in children, it can be serious in some cases. In older children and adults, this infection usually causes more severe symptoms. One of these symptoms is jaundice, which occurs in more than 70 percent of cases.
Hepatitis A infection is not a chronic infection, although it can be serious5. If it is not taken care of in time, in some cases it can have serious consequences, such as liver failure and in some cases even death. Hepatitis A outbreaks occur throughout the world but most commonly occur in places where hygiene is not maintained. This is the reason that those children, who are not exposed to this virus due to living in clean places, can avoid hepatitis A infection in childhood, but the risk of serious infection increases in them during adolescence and adulthood.
How does it spread?
You become infected if you eat food or drink water contaminated with the hepatitis A virus. It spreads from person to person. This infection mostly spreads through the mouth or when someone drinks contaminated water or milk or eats contaminated food that has not been prepared with hygiene in mind.
Your risk of getting hepatitis A increases if you accidentally eat food contaminated with hepatitis A. You can also get this if you changed the diaper of an infected baby and did not clean your hands properly. You can also easily become infected if you share food or drinks at a restaurant or touch a doorknob or surface that has particles of an infected person’s stool on it.
Be sure to pay attention to these signs and symptoms
It is not necessary that every infected person shows some or the other symptoms. If symptoms develop, they usually appear within 2 to 6 weeks of infection. These symptoms are:
● fever
● vomiting
● gray stool
● fatigue
● Stomach ache
● Joint pain
● loss of appetite
● Nausea
● jaundice
Remember, it is not necessary that every infected person shows these symptoms. In some cases, symptoms may appear up to 6 months9.
More than 100 million people globally are infected with hepatitis A every year, WHO estimates
Can hepatitis A be prevented?
Yes, hepatitis A infection can be prevented. The easiest ways to protect yourself are:
1. Drink clean water and cook food thoroughly. Avoid raw meat and snails. Wash fruits and vegetables with clean water.
2. After using the toilet, wash your hands with soap and water. Not only this, wash hands with soap after changing the baby’s nappy and before preparing and eating food.
3. Maintain cleanliness in and around your house.
4. Vaccination protects your child from hepatitis A.
Treatment for Hepatitis A?
There is no specific treatment for Hepatitis A, so this disease can be avoided only by taking some safety measures. You can avoid the risk of hepatitis A by getting vaccinated.
When can the hepatitis A vaccine be given?
Children aged one year and older can be vaccinated against hepatitis A. This is why global and national health authorities like WHO and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics recommend that this vaccine should be given to all children who fall within the prescribed age limit. For more information about hepatitis A and vaccination for your child, be sure to contact your pediatrician.
Reference:
1. https://www.who.int/immunization/position_papers/PP_hep_A_july2012_summary.pdf , Accessed on 24th July 2021
2. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/Hepatitis%20A/afaq.html Accessed on 24th July 2021
3. Castaneda D, Gonzalez AJ, Alomari M, Tandon K, Zervos XB. From hepatitis A to E: A critical review of viral hepatitis. World J Gastroenterol. 2021;27(16):1691-1715
4. Accessed on 24th July 2021
5. Accessed on 24th July 2021
6. /country/India/risk/hepatitis-a Accessed on 24th July 2021
7. 124587-IAP-GUIDE-BOOK-ON-IMMUNIZATION-18-19.pdf (iapindia.org), Accessed on 29th July 2021
Disclaimer: Issued in the public interest by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited. Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, India. The information appearing in this material is for general information only. Nothing in this material should be construed as medical advice. If you have any medical questions or are concerned about your condition, consult your doctor. Contact your pediatrician for a complete list of vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccination schedules for each disease. If you have had an adverse experience with any GSK product, please report it to the company at india.pharmacovigilance@gsk.com.
This article has been created by the Studio18 team on behalf of GSK
CL code: NP-IN-HAV-OGM-210002 , DoP Jul 2021