What is Hepatitis A?

What is Hepatitis A?

• Hepatitis A: Contagious viral infection of the liver.
• Hepatitis A: hepatitis caused by Hepatovirus (Hepatitis A virus); it can be transmitted through fecal contamination of food or water.
  Source - Diseases Database
• Hepatitis A: an acute but benign form of viral hepatitis caused by an RNA virus that does not persist in the blood serum and is usually transmitted by ingesting food or drink that is contaiminated with fecal matter.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Hepatitis A: Introduction

Types of Hepatitis A:

Broader types of Hepatitis A:

• Liver conditions
• Hepatitis
• Viral Hepatitis
• Viral diseases
• Food poisoning
• Vaccine-preventable diseases
• Diseases contagious from sex
• Diseases contagious from food
• Diseases contagious from contaminated water
• Diseases contagious from intravenous needles
• Diseases contagious from vaginal sex
• more types...»

How many people get Hepatitis A?

Incidence (annual) of Hepatitis A: 32,000 new cases in the USA 1992 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
Incidence Rate of Hepatitis A: approx 1 in 8,500 or 0.01% or 32,000 people in USA [about data]
Lifetime risk of Hepatitis A: 32 to 38% of population in the USA have history of the HepA disease 1991 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, NIDDK, 1994)
Prevalance of Hepatitis A: About 22,700 cases of hepatitis A representing 38% of all hepatitis cases (5-year average from all routes of transmission) are reported annually in the U.S. (Source: FDA Bad Bug Book) ... 32 to 38 percent of U.S. population that have any history of disease (1991) (Source: excerpt from Digestive Diseases Statistics: NIDDK)
Incidence of Hepatitis A: 32,000 new cases (1992) (Source: excerpt from Digestive Diseases Statistics: NIDDK)

How serious is Hepatitis A?

Complications of Hepatitis A: see complications of Hepatitis A
Prognosis of Hepatitis A: Less than 0.4% of the reported cases in the U.S. are fatal. These rare deaths usually occur in the elderly. (Source: FDA Bad Bug Book) ... Hepatitis A usually resolves on its own over several weeks. (Source: excerpt from Viral Hepatitis A to E and Beyond: NIDDK)

What causes Hepatitis A?

Causes of Hepatitis A: see causes of Hepatitis A
Causes of Hepatitis A: Hepatitis A Virus Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is classified with the enterovirus group of the Picornaviridae family. HAV has a single molecule of RNA surrounded by a small (27 nm diameter) protein capsid and a buoyant density in CsCl of 1.33 g/ml. Many other picornaviruses cause human disease, including polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and rhinoviruses (cold viruses). (Source: FDA Bad Bug Book)
Risk factors for Hepatitis A: see risk factors for Hepatitis A

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis A?

Symptoms of Hepatitis A: see symptoms of Hepatitis A

Complications of Hepatitis A: see complications of Hepatitis A

Can anyone else get Hepatitis A?

Contagion of Hepatitis A: Spread by direct contact with a person or contaminated food or water.
More information: see contagiousness of Hepatitis A
Inheritance: see inheritance of Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Hepatitis A.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Hepatitis A.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Hepatitis A: see treatments for Hepatitis A
Prevention of Hepatitis A: see prevention of Hepatitis A
Research for Hepatitis A: see research for Hepatitis A

Society issues for Hepatitis A

Costs of Hepatitis A: $200 million in 1991 (CDC-OC)
Costs of Hepatitis A: The estimated cost for treating hepatitis A is $200 million (1991)/yearly including medical and work loss (Source: excerpt from Facts About Hepatitis A and C: CDC-OC)

Hospitalization statistics for Hepatitis A: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Hepatitis A:

• 0.006% (789) of hospital consultant episodes were for acute hepatitis A in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 76% of hospital consultant episodes for acute hepatitis A required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 63% of hospital consultant episodes for acute hepatitis A were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 37% of hospital consultant episodes for acute hepatitis A were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Hepatitis A:

Organs and body systems related to Hepatitis A include:

• Liver

Name and Aliases of Hepatitis A

Main name of condition: Hepatitis A

Class of Condition for Hepatitis A: viral

Hep A, HepA, Hepatitis A virus, Viral hepatitis A

Hepatitis A, Infectious hepatitis
Source - WordNet 2.1

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Hepatitis A:

• Acute hepatitis
• Hepatitis A vaccine
• Hepatitis A vaccination
• Hep A
• HAV
• HAV infection
• Fulminant hepatic failure
• Liver transplant
• Liver transplantation
• Hepatomegaly
• Jaundice
• Hepatitis B virus
• HBV
• Hepatitis C virus
• HCV
• Hepatitis D virus
• HDV
• Hepatitis E virus
• HEV
• Picornaviridae

 » Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for Hepatitis A

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