What are the modes of transmission, main signs and symptoms and treatments of hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is an acute disease of low mortality caused by the hepatitis A virus (an RNA virus). It is transmitted by fecal-oral route often through contamination of foods like vegetables and sea-food. The virus attacks the liver and its incubation period varies between 15 and 45 days. After incubation the symptoms are fever, headache, abdominal pain, malaise, nausea and vomiting and the main signs are jaundice, hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver) and darkened urine (due to excessive bile in blood). Blood tests show increased levels of hepatic enzymes caused by injuries to liver cells. Hepatitis A often heals naturally after 4 to 6 weeks.
