What is hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that affects the liver. The liver becomes inflamed, tender, and swollen. Patches of liver tissue may be damaged.
How does it occur?
Hepatitis A is caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus.
An infected person may pass hepatitis A to others by not washing his or her hands (especially after going to the bathroom) before handling food that others are going to eat. Hepatitis A can also be picked up from contaminated water or by eating shellfish taken from contaminated waters.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms generally appear 2 to 6 weeks after infection with the virus. Hepatitis A is often so mild that there are no obvious symptoms, especially in children.
The disease usually begins with flulike symptoms:
• loss of appetite
• fever
• general achiness
• fatigue.
Smokers may lose their taste for cigarettes.
Other symptoms may follow after several days:
• nausea and vomiting
• foul breath and bitter taste in the mouth
• dark urine
• yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
• pain just below the ribs on the right side, especially when pressure is applied
• pale-colored bowel movements that may be looser than normal.
How is it diagnosed?
Your health care provider will talk to you about when and how your symptoms developed. He or she will examine your skin, eyes, and especially your abdomen to see if your liver is enlarged or tender. Your provider will use
urine and blood tests to diagnose your condition.
How is it treated?
The usual treatment is bed rest, a balanced diet, and avoiding alcohol for at least 6 months. You will not have to stay in the hospital unless you have a very serious case.
Antibiotics are not useful in treating hepatitis.
How long will the effects last?
Recovery from hepatitis A usually takes 4 to 8 weeks. The disease rarely has lasting effects such as permanent liver damage.
Hepatitis that lasts more than 6 months usually isn't caused by hepatitis A infection.
How can I take care of myself? • Rest in bed until your fever is gone, urine color is normal, and jaundice lessens. Ask your health care provider how much bed rest you need.
• As your symptoms improve, you may gradually increase your level of activity. It is best to avoid too much physical exertion until your health care provider tells you it's OK.
• Eat small, balanced meals, even when you feel nauseous, but avoid foods that do not appeal to you. Soft drinks, juices, and hard candy may help reduce nausea.
• Follow your health care provider's instructions for taking medicine to relieve your symptoms.
• Avoid taking certain drugs that are processed in the liver. Ask your health care provider which drugs these are.
• Do not drink alcohol until your health care provider says it's safe.
What can be done to help prevent hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A can be spread only by people with active infections. It is usually contagious for 2 to 3 weeks before symptoms appear and for 2 to 3 weeks afterward. During this period, others can pick up the virus by touching anything contaminated with the blood, stool, saliva, and possibly other body fluids of an infected person.
An injection of immune (gamma) globulin is usually given right after you have been exposed to contaminated food or have had contact with an infected person. Immune globulin may not always prevent hepatitis A, but it may make it milder. The protection begins almost immediately but it lasts for just 2 to 4 months.
A vaccine specific for hepatitis A is also now available. The first shot should be given at least 2 weeks before a person plans to be in an area where the disease is common. For adults the first shot is usually followed by a booster shot 6 to 12 months later. This vaccine may protect against hepatitis A for many years.
Spring water tainted near AT in NC/TN
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Originally Posted by SGT Rock
