Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A Causes
Hepatitis A or infectious jaundice is caused by a picornavirus transmitted by the fecal-oral route, usually associated with ingestion of contaminated food or with anal/oral sex. It causes an acute form of hepatitis and does not lead to the chronic stage. This form is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), which thrives in the stools (feces or poop) of infected individuals. Infected stool can be found in small amounts in food and on objects (from doorknobs to diapers).
Hepatitis A Definition
Hepatitis (plural hepatitides) implies injury to liver marked by presence of inflammatory cells in the liver tissue.
Hepatitis A Diagnosis
These viral hepatitis conditions can be diagnosed and followed through the use of readily available blood tests.
Hepatitis A Symptoms and Signs
Clinically, the course of acute hepatitis varies greatly from mild symptoms requiring no treatment to fulminant hepatic failure needing liver transplantation. Initial features are of nonspecific flu-like symptoms, commonly seen in almost all acute viral infections and may include malaise, muscle and joint aches, fever, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. More specific symptoms, which can be found in acute hepatitis from any cause, are: profound loss of appetite, aversion to smoking among smokers, dark urine, yellowing of the eyes and skin (i.e., jaundice) and abdominal discomfort.
Hepatitis A Treatment
There are no medications used to treat hepatitis A due to the fact that it is a short-term infection that goes away on its own.