All fields are required
If you have contracted Hepatitis due to contaminated food, contact us. The Hepatitis A attorneys at The Lange Law Firm, PLLC offer free consultations and can help you explore your legal options.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver disease. It is caused by the Hepatitis A virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in 2015 there were 2,800 Hepatitis A cases in the United States.
Hepatitis A is spread primarily by food or water that is contaminated by the feces of an infected person. The method of transmission is especially concerning, as outbreaks of the virus are often linked to sick food service workers. Shellfish that is cultivated in contaminated water and is not cooked properly can also lead to Hepatitis A infections.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious infection that can affect your liver’s ability to function. Its counterparts – Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C – are also liver infections, but are caused by a separate virus. All of them have different modes of transmission and can affect the liver quite differently. Hepatitis A is generally short lived and is not chronic. But Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are short-term, acute infections that can cause long term liver damage in some people. There are vaccines available for Hepatitis A and B, but there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C at this time.
Someone who was formerly ill with Hepatitis A cannot become re-infected with the virus once they have been sick. This is because once someone has been infected with Hepatitis, the body develops antibodies that will be able to protect the body from the virus in the future. These antibodies help in protecting the body from disease by binding itself to the virus and destroying it.
A person can easily transmit the virus to someone else for up to 2 weeks before the symptoms actually start to occur in their body.
No. Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are all liver infections, but they are caused by three different viruses. Although each can cause similar symptoms and have similar latency periods, they have different modes of transmission and can affect the liver differently.
Although almost anyone can get infected by Hepatitis A, there are some people who are more at risk. These individuals include:
Symptoms start appearing after 2-6 weeks of exposure, sometimes even up to 7 weeks after. Symptoms usually last for less than 2 months. But some people (10-15%) can suffer from the symptoms of Hepatitis A for as long as 6 months.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A include:
About 10-15% of those infected may have a recurrence in the symptoms during the 6 months after the initial infection.
The diagnosis of Hepatitis A involves detection of HAV specific IgM antibodies in the blood. It is detectable after 1-2 weeks of exposure (getting infected) by HAV and is present for up to 14 weeks. The presence of these antibodies indicates that the acute stage of illness is now over, and the person has become immune to other infection.
The medical and general treatment for Hepatitis A involves:
Anyone who suspects that they may have contracted Hepatitis A should see their doctor if they have any of the symptoms mentioned above of Hepatitis. A visit to the doctor may also be a good idea if someone has traveled to a country where Hepatitis A is common or has been to a restaurant and eaten a meal that linked to a Hepatitis A outbreak.
If the exposure period is still within the first 2 weeks, a post-exposure vaccine can be given as another form of treatment.
Yes! Vaccination is the most effective way of prevention against the Hepatitis A virus (HAV).
Vaccination is recommended for:
Vaccination can also help in preventing the infection if it is taken within 2 weeks of exposure to the virus.
In fact, Hepatitis A rates have declined by more than 95% since the Hepatitis A vaccine first became available in 1995.
For most people, the symptoms of Hepatitis A will completely go away within months of infection. There usually will be no long-term effects after an infected person has recovered. After the infection has passed, the infected person develops a lifelong immunity against the virus.
Generally, about 1 in 7 people will have the symptoms of the infection on and off for 6 months before their bodies eventually get over the illness.
Life-threatening complications from Hepatitis A are rare. But it can cause liver failure. About 1 in 250 people who become infected with Hepatitis A will develop liver failure. People who are at risk of this complication are elderly people and those who might suffer from preexisting liver problems. If you have suffered due to complications arising from Hepatitis A, speak with our Hepatitis A attorney during a free consultation.