Some Frequently Asked Questions about Hepatitis A Vaccine
Hepatitis A infection is a common health problem in most developing countries due to lack of safe drinking water. Hepatitis A infection is generally rare in most developed countries except some outbreaks from hepatitis A carrier or due to consumption of contaminated food from particular source. If you live in a developed country and plan to travel to a country/region where hepatitis A infection is common, you should think of getting vaccinated against hepatitis A.
What is the schedule for hepatitis A vaccine?
Hepatitis A vaccine is given two doses for long lasting protection. The gap between two doses should be at least 6 months. Hepatitis A vaccine can be given along with other vaccines.
For children:
Hepatitis A vaccine is not licensed for infants/children of below one year age. The first dose should be given at 12 months through 23 months of age. If a child is aged 2 years and not yet vaccinated, the child should be given hepatitis A vaccine at subsequent visit.
Categories: Diseases Tags: hepatitis A, Hepatitis A Vaccine
Complications, Treatment and Prevention of Hepatitis A Infection
Hepatitis A infection may lead to complications in minority of patients. The most important although rare complication of hepatitis A infection is acute liver failure. Older age individuals and individuals with chronic liver disease are at higher risk of developing acute liver failure with hepatitis A infection. Some people with acute liver failure may require liver transplantation. Chronic or long term complication of hepatitis A infection is mainly chronic carrier state and continuation for the disease for long duration (months). During continued symptoms the patient keep passing hepatitis A virus in the stool and may infect others.
Treatment of hepatitis A infection:
Most of the patients with mild hepatitis A infection usually do not need any treatment. Patients requiring treatment for hepatitis A infection also do not need (or have) any specific treatment. Treatment of hepatitis A infection is mainly symptomatic. There is no effective anti viral antibiotics available for treatment of hepatitis A infection nor there any requirement of effective anti viral antibiotic. Your body’s defense mechanism will clear the virus on its own in due course of time. Hepatitis A infection usually does not produce any liver damage.
Categories: Diseases Tags: Hepatitis A infection
Hepatitis A Infection: Symptoms, Risk Factors and Transmission
Hepatitis A (also known as infectious hepatitis) is highly contagious disease of liver caused by hepatitis A virus, which is an RNA virus that spread mainly by feco-oral route. There are also several other viruses that can cause hepatitis, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D etc. Hepatitis A virus cause inflammation of liver and reduce its ability to perform its job efficiently.
What are the symptoms of hepatitis A virus infection?
Mild cases of hepatitis A infection may not produce any symptoms at all, especially in case of children. Symptoms of hepatitis A infection appear after incubation period (appearance of first symptom after introduction of the organism) of 2-6 weeks. Initial symptoms of hepatitis A may be mistaken for flu.
Categories: Diseases Tags: hepatitis A
What is IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and it’s Symptoms?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is a common medical problem of gastrointestinal tract characterized by alteration of bowel habits (either diarrhea or constipation predominant symptom or they may become alternate symptoms), bloating of abdomen, abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain etc. The diagnosis of IBS is mainly based on symptoms it presents. Functional irritable bowel syndrome has no known organic cause. Currently IBS is diagnosed on the basis of symptoms alone.
The symptoms of IBS (and the disease itself) may occur after an infection or after a stressful event in life. IBS may be present along with many other gastrointestinal disorders such as colitis, celiac disease, fructose malabsorption, parasitic infection (such as giardiasis), functional constipation, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis) etc.
Categories: Diseases Tags: inflammatory bowel disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
How Gastritis is Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of gastritis may be possible by signs and symptoms of gastritis. If definite diagnosis is not possible the signs and symptoms may strongly suggest the disease. If your doctor suspects you to be suffering from gastritis your doctor may ask some tests to confirm or pinpoint the diagnosis. The tests which can help in diagnosis of gastritis are test for H. pylori, endoscopy and X-ray.
Test for H. pylori:
For testing presence of H. pylori in stomach most commonly urea breath test is done. This test can detect the presence of H. pylori. In urea breath test a capsule/liquid containing urea with radioactive carbon is taken by the patient and 30-60 minutes later breath sample is collected and tested for presence of radioactive carbon in the breath sample.
What are the Risk Factors of Gastritis?
Gastritis is fairly common medical problem these days due to certain risk factors which are very common. Risk factor may be modifiable (such as alcohol abuse, infection in stomach, regular intake of pain reliever medication etc,) or non modifiable (such as old age). If you have any of the risk factors, you have a greater chance of gastritis in compare to individuals with no risk factors for gastritis.
The risk factors that can increase the risk of gastritis include bacterial infection (by Helicobacter pylori), regular intake of pain medication, excess alcohol consumption (alcohol abuse), stress, older age, reflux of bile to stomach, autoimmune disease, other medical conditions etc.
Categories: Diseases Tags: gastritis, Helicobacter pylori
