Hepatitis A: Causes, indicators, treatments, and safeguards against the infection
In the United States, Hepatitis A (HAV) vaccination continues to play a crucial role in preventing the spread of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends two doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine for adults who have not previously been vaccinated or infected.
Vaccination is especially advised for people in groups at increased risk of infection, although any adult who wants to be protected may get vaccinated. For children, vaccines are administered according to the routine childhood immunization schedule, ensuring protection early in life.
Since the introduction and implementation of the Hepatitis A vaccine, the number of new infections has significantly declined. This is consistent with observed trends in viral hepatitis prevention through vaccination programs.
The CDC also encourages vaccination to prevent infection and the spread of the disease. Risk factors that increase the risk of HAV include sexual or household contact with an infected person, living or working in a community residence, attending or working in a daycare center, and food handling, among others.
However, infection can affect those at a higher risk and adolescents who missed the vaccination implementation. A blood test can confirm an infection with HAV, and antibodies can detect both acute and past infections.
HAV can be fatal in older patients and in someone who already has chronic liver disease. Improvements in hygiene, public health policies, water supplies, and the introduction of a vaccine have reduced the number of cases worldwide.
The most common reported risk factor for HAV in the U.S. is international travel. Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, affects fewer than 10 percent of children under the age of 6 years, from 40 to 50 percent of those aged 6 to 14 years, and from 70 to 80 percent of people aged over 14 years.
Symptoms of HAV, if they appear, usually occur after infection and are similar to the flu in most adults, including nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, fever, malaise and fatigue, joint pain, and jaundice.
Anyone who has not been vaccinated or previously infected is susceptible. In places without immunization, HAV outbreaks can be explosive, as demonstrated by the 1988 outbreak in Shanghai that affected 300,000 people.
In the U.S., foodborne or waterborne HAV outbreaks are relatively uncommon. However, they sometimes occur, for example, through food handlers who have the virus. Acute infections with HAV should be reported to local public health authorities to help prevent the disease from spreading further.
HAV was first identified in 1973. In December 2016, a multistate outbreak in the United States was linked to a batch of frozen strawberries, but there were no fatalities. Precautionary treatment after exposure to HAV can be given within 2 weeks of exposure, and this may include the vaccine or immune globulin, depending on the age and health status of the person.
In conclusion, Hepatitis A vaccination remains a key public health measure in the U.S. to prevent Hepatitis A infection, with clear benefits reflected in reduced infection rates since the vaccine's introduction. Travelers should avoid raw shellfish, uncooked food, and food that may have been washed in contaminated water to minimize the risk of infection.
- Hepatitis A (HAV) can be fatal in older patients and those with chronic liver diseases, emphasizing the importance of Hepatitis A vaccination.
- The CDC recommends two doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine for adults who have not previously been vaccinated or infected, offering protection against this chronic liver disease.
- HAV outbreaks can be explosive in areas without immunization, as demonstrated by the 1988 outbreak in Shanghai that affected 300,000 people.
- For children, vaccines are administered according to the routine childhood immunization schedule, ensuring early protection against HAV.
- The most common reported risk factor for HAV in the U.S. is international travel, especially to regions with poor hygiene and water supplies.
- In the U.S., foodborne or waterborne HAV outbreaks are relatively uncommon, but they sometimes occur, such as through food handlers who have the virus.
- Medical-conditions like chronic liver diseases, chronic kidney diseases, respiratory conditions, skin conditions, and mental-health issues can increase the risk and severity of HAV infection.
- Maintaining good nutrition and diet, as part of health-and-wellness, can support the immune system and resistance to HAV infection. Additionally, avoid raw shellfish, uncooked food, and food that may have been washed in contaminated water, especially when traveling, to minimize the risk of infection.
