Hepatitis A: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

A highly contagious liver infection, Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus. This virus causes inflammation of the liver and affects its ability to function properly. In some cases the infection is mild and can be cured within a few weeks, while in others the infection may cause severe problems and take a few months for a person to recover. Mild cases of Hepatitis may not need any treatment and most people who get infected recover fully with no signs of permanent liver damage. The Hepatitis A virus is rarely dangerous.

Symptoms

The symptoms of hepatitis A may not appear until a few weeks after the infection. Some people do not develop any symptoms at all. The most common signs and symptoms of this infection are below:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Low grade fever
• Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
• Joint pain
• Dark urine
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and discomfort
• Itchy skin

Causes

Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that infects the liver and causes inflammation. It is a highly contagious disease. One may catch the disease if one drinks food or water contaminated with the stools of someone who has the infection, drink contaminated water, eat raw shellfish harvested from the water that has the virus in it, have sex with someone who is infected, travel to countries where hepatitis A is common.

Treatment

Hepatitis A can be prevented by getting vaccination shots. The vaccine is usually administered in two shots. The first vaccination is followed by a second shot after six months. When one gets infected by the hepatitis A virus, there is no specific treatment for the infection. The body clears the virus on its own. Mild hepatitis gets cured within a couple of weeks, while more severe cases get cured within a couple of months. In almost all cases the liver heals completely within six months. The goal of hepatitis A treatment is to keep the patient comfortable and control the signs and symptoms of the infection. It involves a lot of rest, managing the nausea and avoiding alcohol. Sexual activity should also be avoided so as to stop the infection from spreading.

Hepatitis A does not become chronic and does not cause long term liver damage in most cases. In some rare cases, it could cause a sudden loss of liver function in people with chronic liver diseases or in older people. In those cases liver transplant is required. However, most people get better within a short time.

Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.

Sources-

1. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-a
2. https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/digestive-diseases-hepatitis-a
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-a/symptoms-causes/syc-20367007

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