Q. What are the modes of transmission, main signs and symptoms and treatments of hepatitis A?
The Hepatitis A is an acute disease of low mortality caused by the hepatitis A virus (an RNA virus). It is transmitted through fecal-oral route often through contamination of foods like vegetables and sea-food. The virus assaults the liver and its incubation period varies between15 and 45 days. After the incubation the symptoms are headache, fever, 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 prove increased levels of hepatic enzymes caused by injuries to liver cells. The Hepatitis A often heals naturally after 4 to 6 weeks.