Hepatitis A

WHAT IS HEPATITIS A?

Hepatitis A is inflammation of the liver due to a virus called the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Prior to its identification in 1973, it was known as infectious hepatitis, due to the fact that HAV is so contagious. HAV only causes acute hepatitis. This means that within six months time, the inflammation in the liver due to the hepatitis A virus totally subsides and all of the symptoms, signs and LFT abnormalities resolve. The liver repairs any short-trerm damage it may have suffered. No permanent damage is done and no long-term consequences are suffered.

In the United States, HAV is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis. Each year, approximately 134,000 people in the United States are infected with HAV. In fact, around 33 percent of all people in the United States have, at some point, been infected with HAV, and approximately 47 percent of adults over fifty years old have evidence of exposure to this virus. Almost 100 percent of people who live in communities in the United States with substandard water and sewage sanitation systems, in addition to people living in economically developing countries such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America, have been infected during childhood.

HAV is usually thought of as the least serious of all the hepatitis viruses. This is due to the fact that—unlike the hepatitis B and C viruses—HAV does not cause chronic liver disease, and therefore the disease lasts no longer than six months. Cirrhosis and its complications can never result. Moreover, hepatitis A will not result in liver cancer. However, each year, hepatitis A causes a substantial number of people to get very ill. Some of these people require hospitalization. Many others, although not needing hospitalization, lose a significant amount of time from their jobs.

Though it is typically not fatal, hepatitis A accounts for approximately 100 deaths each year in the United States. Although the incidence of hepatitis A declines with advancing age, people greater than 50 years old are at a 5- 10 times greater risk of having a fatal outcome due to hepatitis A compared with all ages combined. Furthermore, it has been shown that when a person with another liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis C or B, becomes infected with HAV, she may experience a particularly serious and potentially life-threatening form of hepatitis. This is especially applicable to people over over 50 years of age. Fortunately, hepatitis A is vaccine-preventable. In fact, it is interesting to note that hepatitis A is the most common vaccine-preventable disease in the entire world. See Chapter 24 of my book for information on prevention and vaccination.

Melissa Palmer, MD is the author of " Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide of Hepatitis and Liver Disease". (Published 2004. Penguin Putnam).

The office of Melissa Palmer, M.D. is located at:

1097 Old Country Road Suite 104

Plainview, Long Island N.Y 11803

To arrange an appointment with Dr. Palmer, call

(516) 939-2626

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