What is hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a form of hepatitis. This liver disease is most common in children. Approximately one out of ten children have had hepatitis A.
What are the signs and symptoms of hepatitis A?
Symptoms may include:
- diarrhea;
- mild fever;
- tiredness;
- pain in the upper abdomen;
- nausea;
- jaundice.
Go with these symptoms to the doctor. The GP would be determined by a blood test if your child has hepatitis A.
Hepatitis A is usually not serious, but it takes a long time. In children, the disease lasts about six weeks. In adults, they often lasts for three months or longer.
Hepatitis A often proceeds without jaundice. Then it seems the disease on a regular flu.
There is no treatment required. The disease will pass.
How to prevent hepatitis A?
You can largely prevent infection with the hepatitis A virus by watching this:
- Wash your hands with soap after using the toilet.
- Wash your hands with soap before preparing food.
Will you be traveling to a country where hepatitis A is more common? You can use the following products better than not drinking or eating:
- unboiled water
- juices
- ice cubes
- unwashed fruit
- salads
- burgers
- sandwiches
- shellfish, which may indeed after heating (85 to 90 degrees, 4 minutes).
How is hepatitis A transmitted?
People become infected with hepatitis A by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. The virus is less common in Western Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia and more in other countries.