Food Poisoning Bulletin recently received an email from a person who was diagnosed with hepatitis A in Des Moines, Iowa. That disease is spread by contaminated food and person-to-person contact, so it’s very possible that more people are sick.
Hepatitis A is irritation and swelling of the liver, caused by the hepatitis A virus. The virus comes from the feces and blood of an infected person, and it is shed from the body two to four weeks before the symptoms manifest, and during the first week of the illness.
Human beings are the only natural host of the virus. It replicates in the liver, moves through the blood and is present in feces. Most adults display symptoms of the disease, while children are usually asymptomatic.
The virus is contagious and is spread in several ways: through food contaminated with feces, if a person who has the virus doesn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom then touches food or another object, or if you touch stools or blood of an infected person.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include:
- Fatigue
- Itching
- Dark urine caused by bile
- Appetite loss
- Low grade fever
- Pale or clay-colored stools
- Jaundice, manifested by yellow skin
- Nausea and vomiting
While the symptoms are usually mild, they may last for several months. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Patients should avoid alcohol, fatty foods, and any chemicals or ingredients that are toxic to the liver, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen). Rest is recommended.
More than 85% of people with this disease recover in 3 months. Almost all get better within 6 months. But one in a thousand cases will become fulminant hepatitis, which can be life threatening. People in high risk groups are more susceptible to complications, which can be serious.
A diagnosis is made by the detection of antibodies in the blood. The IgM antibody is present during the acute stage of the infection. The IgG antibody indicates that the acute stage is over and the person is immune.
If someone has been exposed to hepatitis A, a vaccine of immune globulin can help provide protection, but only if it is given within two weeks of the first exposure, which is why public awareness is so important.
The government says that about 3,600 cases of this disease are reported every year. If anyone else has been diagnosed with that disease in Des Moines or in that area recently, please contact the public health department. If an outbreak is occurring, officials can try to determine the source and will notify anyone who may have been exposed.
