About this topic
Hepatitis A harms the liver. It is caused by a virus. Normally, the liver breaks down waste products in your blood. With hepatitis A, the liver becomes swollen and inflamed. During this time, the liver does not do a good job at getting rid of your bodys waste. The infection is short term and rarely causes serious disease. It will affect how your liver works for a while. ‚
People with hepatitis A get rid of the virus through their stools. If people with this illness do not wash their hands, the virus may live on their hands. Anything they touch will have the virus on it. This may include food, water, and other people. You may get the virus from eating in a restaurant. It is more likely to happen with things like raw or undercooked seafood. You may also get it from tap water or ice cubes that have not been treated. Produce that has not been washed may carry the virus. ‚
Hepatitis A may be spread wherever people are not practicing good hand washing. This is especially true if workers are handling food. You can also pass this virus to someone by having unprotected sex. Touching the blood or stools of someone with the infection may cause you to become infected. ‚
Hepatitis A most often goes away on its own. This may take from 2 to 7 weeks. Signs disappear as your liver heals. If signs are very bad, you may need to spend time in a hospital. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take all of your drugs exactly as the doctor has ordered. You may want to use an alarm or talking pillbox to help you remember to take each dose on time.
- Never stop taking your drugs or change the dosage without asking your doctor first.
- Heat may be used to help with belly pain. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your belly for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day.
- Do not drink beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol).
- Avoid taking drugs and substances that can cause more harm to your liver. Ask your doctor before taking any drugs, vitamins, or supplements.
- Do not have sex until the infection is gone. Tell sex partners you have the infection and encourage them to get tested and treated.
- Practice good hand washing when you go to the bathroom, change a diaper, or when preparing food.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and itching
- Prevent upset stomach
- Lower fever
- Protect you from other kinds of hepatitis
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
Eating a healthy diet is important during this time. This means: ‚
- Eat whole grain foods and foods high in fiber.
- Choose many different fruits and vegetables. Fresh or frozen is best.
- Cut back on solid fats like butter or margarine. Eat less fatty or processed foods.
- Eat more low-fat or lean meats like chicken, fish, or turkey. Eat less red meat.
- Avoid caffeine.
- Avoid taking iron supplements.
- If you need help, ask to see a dietitian.
What problems could happen?
- Liver damage
- Liver failure
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Ask your doctor about hepatitis A vaccine for you, your children, and your sex partner.
- Take extra care when washing your hands. Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after using the toilet.
- Always prepare and store food in the proper way.
- Do not eat raw vegetables or fruits (all produce should be peeled and/or cooked).
- Make sure meats and seafood are cooked properly.
- Eat only pasteurized dairy products.
- Do not eat food from street vendors.
- If traveling, drink bottled water.
- Use a condom each time you have sex. Limit your number of sexual partners. Avoid anal or oral sex.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Throwing up, upset stomach, or loose stools that last
- Bloody or black stools
- Very dark yellow urine, yellow color of skin and eyes
- Swelling in your belly, legs, ankles, or feet
- Itching
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what changes I need to make with my diet or drugs.
- I can tell you how and when to wash my hands to avoid passing the infection to others.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have problems with throwing up, upset stomach, or loose stools or my skin or eyes are yellow.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/Hepatitis/A/index.htm ‚
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-a.printerview.all.html ‚
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse ‚
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hepa_ez/ ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚