Hepatitis A or Botkin’s disease
Hepatitis A or Botkin’s disease is a viral liver lesion that occurs when personal hygiene rules are violated and infected water or food is used. This disease is classified as a “dirty hands disease”. The greatest prevalence is observed in countries with a hot climate, including those that are most in demand in terms of tourism (Turkey, Egypt). Children aged 5 to 6 years are most susceptible to the disease. After the disease, the body develops lifelong immunity.
Causes of hepatitis A
The cause of the disease is a virus transmitted through dirty hands, food and water.
After the infection enters the intestine, it is absorbed through the blood, getting into the liver. The virus develops in the liver cells, damaging them, which causes the main symptoms of the disease. The human body, with the help of the immune system, recognizes damaged cells in order to destroy them.
The risk of contracting this disease increases significantly if a person:
uses drugs;
visits foreign countries where the incidence of this virus is high;
has unprotected sexual contacts;
violates hygiene rules;
has close contact with patients with this disease.
Symptoms of hepatitis A
The disease has several stages, the duration of the incubation period varies from 15 to 50 days. After its expiration, there is a stage for which the symptoms of general intoxication of the body are characteristic:
sleep disorders;
weakness;
pain in the right side;
heaviness in the stomach;
lack of appetite;
vomiting;
nausea;
general fever.
With the active development of the disease , patients complain of:
discoloration of the chair;
jaundice of the skin, whites of the eyes and mucous membranes;
dark urine.
With general jaundice, the patient’s condition improves. Unhealthy coloration persists for a month, gradually losing its intensity.
In patients with weakened immunity, the disease can be delayed for several months, taking a chronic form. In most cases, patients recover completely without negative consequences.
Diagnosis of hepatitis A
Only an infectious disease specialist can establish such a diagnosis. To clarify, it is necessary to identify possible contact with an infected patient or the fact of being in the territory of the state, which have a high level of danger for hepatitis A.
A detailed physical examination of the patient is carried out with the determination of the size of the spleen and liver. Several laboratory tests are assigned:
blood for clotting;
blood for hepatitis antibodies;
biochemical blood analysis;
liver tests;
general analysis of urine and blood.
Treatment of hepatitis A
Since when this disease occurs, the human immune system is actively activated to fight viruses, recovery occurs even without the appointment of appropriate treatment. The main direction of therapy is to alleviate the patient’s condition, namely, to relieve the symptoms of intoxication.
The patient is assigned:
drug treatment with drugs that protect liver cells from destruction;
vitamin therapy to maintain active liver function and enhance human immunity;
removal of intoxication, using solutions of sodium chloride and glucose;
isolation of the patient and complete rest;
“liver diet” during the acute period of the disease.
In this disease, antiviral therapy is not prescribed, since its complete ineffectiveness has been proven.
The main prevention of this disease is timely vaccination and compliance with the rules of personal hygiene.
