Hepatitis A

Question 1

Also known as

Answer 1

Infectious hepatitis or epidemic hepatitis

Question 2

Mode of transmission

Answer 2

Feco-oral transmission (the only one)

Question 3

Incubation period of Hepatitis A

Answer 3

2-6wks

Question 4

What is hepatitis A

Answer 4

It is an acute communicable disease caused by HAV

Question 5

Hepatitis A is a major health problem worldwide
T or F

Answer 5

T

Question 6

Prevalence in the developing countries (like libya)

Answer 6

Serological surveys show very high prevalence with poor sanitary conditions and hygienic practices.

Question 7

Age at highest risk for hepatitis A

Answer 7

Most children (90%) have been infected with hepatitis A virus before the age of 10 years.

Question 8

Period of communicability

Answer 8

2 weeks before to 2 weeks after the onset of jaundice.

Question 9

Agent factors:

Answer 9

⁃ The virus is a small, previously classified as enterovirus, but now hepatovirus in the family picornaviridae
⁃ It resists heating at 60C for an hour, and also chlorination of water at 1 ppm.
It can be inactivated by:
1. UV rays
2. boiling for 5 minutes or autoclaving.

Question 10

Host factors:

Answer 10

• Human is the only reservoir of the disease
• Usually children of the school age, and the incidence decreases by the age group of 40 years. • No sex preference
• Immunity after infection is life-long
• No evidence of chronic carrier state

Question 11

Environmental factors:

Answer 11

• Lack of personal hygiene
• Overcrowding
• Poor sanitation

Question 12

Clinical Features:

Answer 12

Slight malaise, anorexia and nausea (children may present with diarrhea) to severe hepatitis, hepatic coma, and death.

Question 13

Lab dx by:

Answer 13

ELISA: to detect IgM or IgG

Question 14

IgM appears:

Answer 14

For a short period after the appearance of jaundice