Can You Write A Note On Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is spread by the faeco oral route with an incubation period of 2 to 6 weeks.   It is the commonest cause of viral hepatitis and occurs most frequently in poor sanitation areas.  It is usually a mild infection in children which goes unnoticed.  In young adults it usually causes symptoms with fever, loss of appetite, nausea and pain under the rib margin.  After a few days or weeks, jaundice and dark urine develop.  The faeces may be clay colored of cholestasis occurs.  

Examinations of these patients usually reveal jaundice and a swollen tender liver.  Blood test of liver functions and a look for antibodies to hepatitis A may help to establish a diagnosis.  Patients can be looked after at home but may be admitted to the hospital for social reasons, if the disease is severe with features such as bruising, fluid retention, or confusion or the diagnosis is in doubt.  

In hospital the patient should be barrier nursed and care should be taken with disposal of faeces, as the virus is excreted in the stool.  There is no specific treatment and no special diet is necessary.  

The illness usually resolves over 3 to 4 weeks.  Very occasionally patients relapse.  A vaccine to hepatitis A is being developed, but at present protection to travellers to endemic areas can be given by intramuscular injection of pooled human immunoglobulin.