Hepatitis A

Introduction

The Hepatitis A virus causes Hepatitis A. The symptoms of this infectious disease of the liver are: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, fever, and abdominal pain.

Hosts

Animals and Humans.

Transmission / Exposure Route

The virus spread by the fecal-oral route, and infections often occur in conditions of poor sanitation and overcrowding. It can also be transmitted by injections and other parenteral routes, but very rarely by blood or blood products. Contaminated food can also cause the spreading of the virus. Direct contact can also transmit the virus. 

Case Fatality Ratio

In the US, the mortality rate for Hepatitis A was estimated to be 0.015%, but range between 1.8-2.1% for people aged 50 years or older. The risk of death due to liver failure because of the Hepatitis A infection increases with age. About 114 million infections occurred globally. Of these infections, 11,200 deaths occurred.

Incubation Period

The incubation period of hepatitis A is usually 14-28 days. 

Microbiology

Hepatitis A virus is a single stranded RNA virus that is packaged in a protein shell.

Enviromental Survival

The virus is resistant to detergent, acid, solvents like ether, drying, and temperatures up to 60 degrees Celsius. It can survive for months in fresh and salt water.