Hepatitis A is a contagious disease caused by a virus in the Picornavirus family, HAV, which causes inflammation of the liver. This virus causes, in most cases, a mild and short-term condition, and generally does not become chronic as in hepatitis B or C.
However, people who are weakened or have weakened immunity, such as those who have uncontrolled diabetes, cancer and AIDS, for example, can have a severe form of the disease, which can even be fatal.
Main symptoms of hepatitis A
In most cases, hepatitis A does not cause symptoms, and may even go unnoticed. However, when they do appear, usually between 15 and 40 days after infection, the most common are:
- Tiredness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting; Low fever; Headache; Stomach ache; Yellow skin and eyes; Dark urine; Light stools.
In the most severe cases, in which liver lesions appear, symptoms can appear more seriously, such as high fever, pain in the abdomen, repeated vomiting and very yellow skin. These symptoms are most often indicative of fulminant hepatitis, in which the liver stops functioning. The evolution from hepatitis A to fulminant hepatitis is rare, occurring in less than 1% of cases. Know other symptoms of hepatitis A.
The diagnosis of hepatitis A is made by blood tests, where antibodies to the virus are identified, which appear in the blood a few weeks after contamination. Other blood tests, such as AST and ALT, can also be useful in assessing levels of liver inflammation.
How is transmission and prevention
The main route of transmission of hepatitis A is via the fecal-oral route, that is, through the consumption of food and water contaminated by the feces of people with the virus. Thus, when food is prepared with poor hygiene conditions there is a greater risk of having the disease. In addition, swimming in sewage-contaminated water or eating infected seafood also increases the chance of having hepatitis A. Therefore, to protect yourself, it is recommended:
- Take the hepatitis A vaccine, which is available in the SUS for children aged 1 to 2 years or in particular for other ages; Wash your hands after going to the bathroom, changing diapers or before preparing food; Cook food well before eating it, especially seafood; Wash objects for personal use, such as cutlery, plates, glasses and bottles; Do not swim in contaminated water or play near these places; Always drink filtered or boiled water.
The people most likely to become infected by this disease are those who live or travel to places with poor hygiene and little or no basic sanitation, as well as children and people who live in environments with many people, such as day care centers and nursing homes.
How the treatment is done
As hepatitis A is a mild disease, most of the time, treatment is done only with medications to relieve symptoms, such as pain relievers and nausea remedies, in addition to recommending that the person rest and drink plenty of water to hydrate and help the glass to recover. The diet should be light, based on vegetables.
Usually the symptoms disappear within 10 days, and the person recovers completely within 2 months. Therefore, during this period, if you live with someone who has this disease, sodium hypochlorite or bleach should be used to wash the bathroom, in order to reduce the risk of being contaminated. See more details on the treatment of hepatitis A.
See also in the video below what to eat in case of hepatitis:
