Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is an infection that affects the liver and is caused by the virus of the same name. Hepatitis makes your liver distend and prevents it from working smoothly. It is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, for instance, contaminated food. This results in an acute form of hepatitis or liver inflammation. Usually, people get Hepatitis A from coming in contact with a member of the family or a sex partner suffering from it. Fortunately, this is not a chronic problem as the patient’s antibodies against Hepatitis A immunize him against any more infection.
Causes: The Hepatitis A virus (HAV) causes sickness similar to the flu.
Symptoms: Generally, only three out of every four people ever have Hepatitis A symptoms. You might think you have the flu, may feel tired or sick, lose your appetite, have stomach pain or diarrhea, dark yellow urine, light-colored stools or yellowish eyes and skin. Hepatitis A symptoms usually don’t last longer than two months, though sometimes people may suffer from it for about six months. But the average incubation period for this is 28 days.
How it spreads: If you come into close contact with persons who have this infection, you can get it too. You can also get Hepatitis A if you eat food that has been cooked by a Hepatitis A-infected person or by drinking water contaminated by hepatitis A.
Diagnosis: To test for Hepatitis A, you need to undergo a blood test, IgM anti-HAV.
Treatment: If you suffer from Hepatitis A, you’ll find there is no specific treatment for it except rest. You will be asked to avoid alcohol, eat a balanced and nutritious diet and drink a lot of clean water. You might even suffer a relapse within nine months after contracting Hepatitis A.
Vaccines: To prevent Hepatitis A virus infection, two vaccines are usually given—immune globulin and Hepatitis A vaccine. The former contains antibodies that can be given as short term protection against this virus and for those who have already been exposed to it. It should be given within two weeks after exposure to the virus for best results.
Hepatitis A vaccine can be given to anyone one year old and above. It is best if given to those who are likelier to get the virus infection than others.
How to protect yourself from Hepatitis A: You can take the preventative Hepatitis A vaccine. Besides, you should wash your hands after using the toilet and before cooking or eating. If you must touch someone’s stool, wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards. Drink bottled water when traveling out of the country and wash your hands to protect yourself.
Remedies: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that does not just improve circulation and tissue repair but also helps treat a host of diseases such as hepatitis, while also reducing liver damage.
Use a medicinal herb called milk thistle to counter all kinds of liver problems. It contains silymarin, a powerful flavonoid which treats all kinds of liver disease. Astragalus root and shiitake formulations are also known to help with hepatitis.