– What you need to know about hepatitis A.
– The risk factors and complications of this condition?
Hepatitis refers to an inflammation of the liver and sometimes, this inflammation is caused by a viral infection. If one has this infection, there will be an inflammation of the liver.
Hepatitis A is also a viral liver disease that can cause mild or severe illness. It is an acute form of hepatitis that is transmitted through the fecal-oral or orofecal route.
In simple terms, one can contract the hepatitis A virus (HAV) through the ingestion of contaminated food and water and one can also get it through direct contact with an infectious person.
Despite the fact that Hepatitis A is a communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), this disease is also vaccine-preventable.
The symptoms that are common to this disease include the following;
- EXtreme tiredness or fatigue.
- Malaise.
- Stomach pain and abdominal discomfort which might be mild or severe.
- Loss of appetite is also a sign.
- Jaundice can also occur.
- Fever
- Nausea
Also, it is important to know that this disease can affect anyone, especially those who have not taken that vaccine before or those previously have the infection.
There are also some risk factors for hepatitis A, they include the following;
1. Poor sanitation and a bad personal hygiene can cause it.
2. Contamination through foods, fruits, vegetables and other edible things is a risk factor. So, eating these without washing or cooking them properly can make you prone to this infection.
3. Drinking unsafe water or dirty water is another risk factor.
4. Having sex with someone who has hepatitis A infection is another risk factor.
5. Injection of illegal or recreational drugs into your body can also cause this infection.
6. Another risk factor is traveling to areas of high endemicity without proper immunization or vaccination.
This infection is preventable, observe a good personal hygiene, have a good sanitation, take healthy foods, have a safe water supply, avoid having multiple sex partners, these are ways to fight off this infection.
There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. But vaccination and prevention are better ways to avoid this infection.