What is Hepatitis-A? and what are the causes?

Hepatitis A, caused by Hepatovirus A is an infectious disease of the liver. It is also known as viral Hepatitis due to it being able to be transmitted through contaminated food or water.

The virus infects liver cells, causing inflammation (swelling) to your liver. In rare cases this can lead to liver failure, in which successful liver transplants are needed for survival.

Hepatitis-A can be caused by coming in contact with someone or something that is contaminated by an infected person.

Hep-A can spread by:

-Eating contaminated food

-Drinking contaminated beverages

-Having inadequate sanitation

-Having poor personal hygiene

-Doing oral-anal sex

The incubation period of the virus is around 15 to 50 days and the risk of death is less than 0.5% so 1 person in every 200 infected dies of Hep-A.

The World Health Organization estimates around 100 million cases of Hepatitis-A annually with 1.5 million of them being clinically diagnosed

Hep-A thrives in public spaces:

-Restaurants

-Food stands

-Public transport

-unsanitary restrooms