If You Have Had Hepatitis a

Hepatitis A (Hep A)

What Is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A, also called hep A, is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. Some people have only a mild illness that lasts a few weeks. Others accept more severe problems that can last months. You ordinarily go the disease when you lot consume or potable something contaminated past poop from a person who has the virus.

The hepatitis A virus usually isn't dangerous. Virtually everyone who has it gets better. But because information technology can accept a while to become away, you'll demand to take care of yourself in the meantime.

Hepatitis A Symptoms

If y'all have this infection, the virus is causing inflammation in your liver. Some people, especially many children, don't accept symptoms. Others might have:

• Jaundice (yellow eyes and pare)
• Abdomen pain
• Night urine
• Loss of appetite
• Upset stomach
• Airsickness
• Itching
• Stake-colored poop
• Joint pain
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue

These problems tend to become abroad after about two months but might keep coming back for up to 6 months.

You can spread the hepatitis A virus even if y'all feel fine. You can also spread information technology nearly ii weeks before your symptoms appear and during the offset week after they show up.

Hepatitis A Causes

You lot can catch the disease past drinking water or eating food that's been contaminated past someone with the virus. You can also get hepatitis A if you:

• Eat fruits, vegetables, or other foods handled or prepared by a person who has the virus
• Swallow raw shellfish harvested from water where the virus lives
• Swallow contaminated ice
• Take sex activity with someone who has it
• Bear upon your oral fissure after touching a contaminated object

Hepatitis A Risk Factors

You could be at higher hazard of getting the affliction if you:

• Have close contact with someone who's infected
• Travel to countries where hepatitis A is common
• Are homeless
• Use recreational drugs, even without needles
• Have a blood clotting disorder like hemophilia
• Work with primates
• Have HIV

Also at higher chance are:

• Men who have sexual practice with men
• Kids in child care and their teachers

Hepatitis A Diagnosis

Your doctor will beginning inquire about your symptoms and check for loftier levels of liver enzymes in your blood. So, they'll do more blood tests to look for:

• IgM (immunoglobulin M) antibodies. Your body makes these when you're showtime exposed to hepatitis A. They stay in your blood for about 3 to six months.
• IgG (immunoglobulin G) antibodies. These bear witness up afterward the virus has been in your body for a while. Yous may accept them all your life. They protect yous confronting hepatitis A. If y'all exam positive for them simply non for IgM antibodies, it means you had a hepatitis A infection in the by or had vaccinations to protect against it.

Hepatitis A Handling

No medication can get rid of the hepatitis A virus once you have it. Your doctor will treat your symptoms -- they may phone call this supportive care -- until it goes away. They'll also do tests that check how well your liver is working to exist certain your trunk is healing similar it should.

Yous can take these steps to make yourself more than comfy:

• Go some residuum. You'll probably experience tired and sick and have less energy than usual.
• Endeavor to keep food down. The nausea that sometimes comes with hepatitis A can go far tough to eat. It may be easier to snack during the solar day than to eat total meals. To make sure yous become enough nutrients, go for more loftier-calorie foods and drinkable fruit juice or milk instead of water. Fluids will also help keep you hydrated if you lot're throwing upwardly.
• Avert alcohol. It's harder for your liver to handle medications and alcohol when yous have the virus. Plus, drinking tin lead to more liver impairment. Tell your dr. almost any medications you accept, including over-the-counter drugs, as these might also hurt your liver.

Hepatitis A Complications

The virus usually doesn't crusade whatsoever long-term problems or complications. Rarely, you may have liver failure or need a transplant.

Hepatitis A Vaccine

The vaccine to preclude it is about 95% effective in healthy adults and tin can work for more than xx years. In children, it's about 85% constructive and can terminal fifteen to xx years.

Experts recommend that certain people get vaccinated:

• Travelers to countries with more hepatitis A infections
• All children ages thirteen-23 months
• All children and adolescents ages 2-18 who did not previously receive a vaccine
• Families adopting children from countries where the virus is common
• Men who accept sex with men
• People who have a blood clotting problem
• Those experiencing homelessness
• People who accept direct contact with a person with the virus
• People who use recreational drugs
• People who have long-term liver disease
• Anyone else who wants to exist protected against the virus
• The hepatitis A vaccine includes ii injections half-dozen months autonomously. A combination vaccine for hepatitis A and B has iii shots over 6 months.

Hepatitis A Vaccine and Travel

If you're going to a country where hepatitis A is common and you've never had the virus or the vaccine, start the vaccination process as before long as you can. It takes two to 4 weeks after the beginning dose for the vaccine to piece of work, simply even one shot a few days before you lot leave will give you some protection.

People who are allergic to something in the vaccine and children younger than six months might instead get a shot of immune globulin (IG), which will protect confronting hepatitis A for upwardly to 2 months.

Hepatitis A Prevention

The vaccine is your best defense. If y'all come into contact with someone who has hepatitis A, you tin can become the vaccine or an IG shot within 2 weeks for some protection.

Practiced hygiene is also important. Always wash your hands with lather and water after using the bathroom, before and after handling food, and after irresolute a diaper.

When you travel to a place with poor sanitation, don't beverage tap water or eat raw food.

Hepatitis A Transmission Prevention

When you lot have hepatitis A, accept these steps to keep from giving information technology to others:

• Avert all sexual practice.
• Wash your easily after you lot use the bathroom or change diapers.
• Don't prepare food for other people.

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Source: https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/digestive-diseases-hepatitis-a

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