World Hepatitis Day 2020: All you need to know about Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a medical condition that is associated with the inflammation of the liver. It is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) – one of the several hepatitis viruses that can cause inflammation and impair the functioning of the liver. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus is typically transmitted via ingestion of contaminated food (or water) or through direct contact with an infected person.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A virus leads to the inflammation of the liver. Medical experts assert that the symptoms and signs of hepatitis A may not appear in the initial few weeks of getting the virus. However, people may notice the following symptoms in later days:

These symptoms are relatively mild and remain prevalent for a couple of days. They can be treated easily with the help of pharmaceutical products manufactured by the top pharmaceutical companies. However, in some cases, the infection may lead to severe illness that can last for months.

Causes of Hepatitis A

As mentioned earlier, hepatitis A is typically caused by the HAV virus. It infects the liver cells, causes inflammation, and eventually impairs the functioning of the liver. Here are some major ways of transmission of the virus:

Furthermore, people can also catch the virus while travelling to virus prone countries without immunization.

Treatment of Hepatitis A

WHO asserts that there is no specific treatment for Hepatitis A and taking preventive measures is the best way of safeguarding oneself from virus transmission.

However, pharmaceutical companies have developed vaccines that can help prevent the infection. In many cases, doctors can recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and proper intake of fluids for treating certain symptoms of hepatitis A.

Fortunately, all patients recover from the infection with a lifelong immunity. Reports by WHO further claim that unlike Hepatitis B or C, hepatitis A is rarely fatal and does not lead to chronic liver diseases. However, it may result in debilitating symptoms and fulminant hepatitis (acute liver failure) that can make the condition fatal. Thus, it is extremely important to take all the necessary precautions in order to keep the infection at bay.