Vaccine, best form of prevention against Hepatitis A ― Expert

A Consultant Gastroenterologist, Dr Kolawole Akande, says the best form of prevention against Hepatitis A is through vaccination.

Akande of the Department of Medicine, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, made the assertion while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ibadan.

NAN reports that Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV).

According to Akande, the virus is primarily spread when an uninfected and unvaccinated person ingests food or water that is contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.

He described Hepatitis A as food-borne or transmitted via direct contact.

Akande said that it was among the leading foodborne infections which cause cyclic epidemics, and could cause significant illness and loss of productivity,

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“The disease is closely associated with unsafe water or food, inadequate sanitation, poor personal hygiene and oral sex.

“A virus can be spread through contact with food or water that has been contaminated by an infected person’s stool.

“Eating improperly cooked food, raw food and contaminated food prepared in poor sanitary conditions is also likely to cause Hepatitis A.

“The food and drinks most likely to be contaminated are fruits, vegetables, shellfish, ice and water.

“Unsafe injection practices, drug abuse also increases the risk for contracting the virus,” he said.

Akande said that Hepatitis A does not cause chronic liver disease and was rarely fatal, unlike Hepatitis B and C.

“It can cause debilitating symptoms including acute liver failure, which is often fatal.

“With an incubation period of 14 to 28 days, symptoms of Hepatitis A usually develop over a period of several days.

“While some people with Hepatitis A do not manifest any symptom, for some others symptoms range from mild to severe including fever, loss of appetite, jaundice, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine and vomiting,” he said.

According to him, anyone who has not been vaccinated or previously infected can get infected with Hepatitis A virus.

“Vaccination is recommended for all children and people at high risk for infection with the virus.

“People should imbibe good personal hygiene practices including frequent handwashing with soap and warm water.

“Regular hand washing should become a habit after using the bathroom; changing a diaper; before preparing and eating food to limit the risk of becoming infected with Hepatitis A virus,” he said.