Hepatitis is an acute infectious disease of the liver that develops from Hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis is commonly transmitted by the fecal-oral route and by having contaminated food or drinking water. Every year all over the world around 10 million people are found infected with the hepatitis virus. The period between the infection and appearance of its symptoms ranges from two and six weeks with the average incubation period is 28 days. In the developing and underdeveloped countries this diseases is more common. Also Hepatitis is more prominent in regions with poor hygienic levels.
The illness is usually contracted during early childhood. In about of 90% of children suffering of Hepatitis A, have no clinical signs and symptoms. In countries like the United States and Europe the infection is contracted by people prone to infections. There is no chronic stage in Hepatitis A it also does not cause liver damage. With different infections the body immune system makes the antibodies to protect from the hepatitis A virus strengthening the immunity against similar infection in future.
The disease is commonly prevented by vaccination and hepatitis A vaccine has been proved effective in controlling outbreaks all over the world. The virus of hepatitis is a Picornavirus.
It usually contains a single-stranded RNA present in the protein shell.
Only one type of Hepatitis virus exists.Generally the Hepatitis virus spreads by the fecal-oral route and by infections resulting from such conditions as improper sanitation and in overcrowded places. Its types can also be transmitted by the parental route and in rarest cases by blood and blood products. One other common cause is consumption of shellfish reared in polluted water is associated with a high risk of infection.
Symptoms of Hepatitis:
Usually the early symptom of the disease is understood as influenza, but sometimes children show no symptoms at all. Usually the early symptoms appear 2 to 6 weeks after the initial stage of infection.
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The symptoms can also return back in between 6 to 9 months. Other symptoms include Fatigue, Fever, Abdominal pain, Nausea, Diarrhea,
Appetite loss, Depression, Jaundice, Severe pains in the right-upper quadrant of the abdomen, Weight loss and a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes.
During the acute stage of the infection the liver enzyme alanine transferase which remain present in the blood rises much higher than the normal position. The enzyme derives more from the liver cells that have been damaged by the virus.
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