Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that infects
liver cells
and causes inflammation. The inflammation can affect how your liver works and cause other signs and symptoms of hepatitis A.
What damage does hepatitis A do to the body?
What is hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is a viral infection that causes
liver inflammation and damage
. Inflammation is swelling that occurs when tissues of the body become injured or infected. Inflammation can damage organs.
Which organ is affected by hepatitis A?
Hepatitis means inflammation of
the liver
. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, some medications, toxins, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis.
Which organ system of the body is affected in hepatitis?
Hepatitis means inflammation of
the liver
. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis.
Who is most affected by hepatitis A?
- Employees of daycare centers.
- Institutional care workers.
- Laboratory workers who handle live hepatitis A virus.
- People who handle primate animals that may be carrying the hepatitis A virus.
What is the fastest way to cure hepatitis A?
No specific treatment exists for hepatitis A
. Your body will clear the hepatitis A virus on its own. In most cases of hepatitis A, the liver heals within six months with no lasting damage.
How do you know hepatitis A is cured?
There's currently no cure for hepatitis A
, but it normally gets better on its own within a couple of months. You can usually look after yourself at home. But it's still a good idea to see your GP for a blood test if you think you could have hepatitis A, as more serious conditions can have similar symptoms.
Does hepatitis A have long term effects?
Hepatitis A is usually a
short-term infection and does not become chronic
. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also begin as short-term, acute infections, but in some people, the virus remains in the body, resulting in chronic disease and long-term liver problems.
What happens to your liver when you have hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV
causes the liver to swell and prevents it from working well
. HAV usually goes away on its own in almost all cases with no serious complications. However, HAV may cause some patients to suffer liver failure.
How does hepatitis A enter the body?
Hepatitis A virus is found in the stool (feces) of people with HAV infection. It enters the body
through the mouth after someone handles something contaminated with HAV, or eats or drinks something contaminated with HAV
.
What happens if you have hepatitis?
Hepatitis C can be a short-term illness, but for most people, acute infection leads to chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C can be a lifelong infection if left untreated. Chronic hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver),
liver cancer, and even death
.
Which hepatitis is bad?
There are 3 main types of hepatitis: hepatitis A, B, and C.
Hepatitis C
can be more severe and is the most deadly, but even those with acute illness can recover without lasting liver damage. Up to 70% of those chronically infected with hepatitis C develop chronic liver disease, and up to 20% develop cirrhosis.
How did I get hepatitis?
You're most likely to get hepatitis A
from contaminated food or water or from close contact with a person or object that's infected
. Mild cases of hepatitis A don't require treatment.
Does hepatitis A Go Away?
No specific medicines are used to treat hepatitis A.
The infection will go away on its own
, usually within a few weeks or months. In rare cases, HAV can cause liver failure. If that happens, the person will need a liver transplant.
What food is commonly linked to hepatitis A?
Although foodborne illnesses caused by hepatitis A are not common in the U.S., water, shellfish,
frozen vegetables and fruit (berries)
, and salads are most frequently cited as potential foodborne sources.
Can hepatitis A last for years?
Estimates for long-term protection for fully vac- cinated people (i.e., full two-dose series) suggest that protection from hepatitis A virus infection could last for
at least 25 years in adults
and at least 14–20 years in children. Protection after the first dose has been shown to last more than a decade.
