medicall_editor Hepatitis A Virus is Common in Asia, Get Hep A Vaccine Before Travel
Hep a vaccine before travel is recommended for those traveling to areas where hepatitis A is common, the vaccine will prevent infection.
Hepatitis A is a relatively common disease, especially in countries with a high-risk of infection. Most high-risk areas are developing countries with low hygiene standards, for example Asian countries like Indonesia. People may get infected during a trip to these countries. People may get hepatitis A if they have direct contact or live together with an infected person. Furthermore, infection usually happens after eating food or drinking water that has been tainted with the virus. Fortunately, hepatitis A is not dangerous like hepatitis B or C, this disease will not cause chronic condition. In addition, hepatitis A is usually transmitted through children because most of them don’t really pay attention to hygiene. If you’re going to a place where there is an outbreak of hepatitis A, Hep A vaccine before travel can be taken to avoid getting infected.
Hepatitis A
Generally, hepatitis A is considered contagious. The disease is caused by the hepatitis A virus and it is basically a liver infection. This virus will lead to liver inflammation and affect how the liver works. People will get infected with hepatitis A if they consume food or water that has been contaminated with stools/feces from someone who is infected with the virus. Transmission of hepatitis A can also occur if stool/feces of an infected person has contact with your skin. Moreover, hepatitis A can also be transmitted if someone has sexual activity with an infected person. Hepatitis A will not lead to chronic liver disease because eventually,the infected person will be fully recovered. However, each condition might be different. Hepatitis A can sometimes last for a few weeks while in some severe cases, hepatitis A can last for a few months. Treatment for hepatitis A can be done by receiving immunoglobulin after infection, while for prevention, doctor may recommend hep A vaccine before travel.
Symptoms
Someone who is infected with hepatitis A usually looks sick and tired. Infected person doesn’t always show symptoms. If symptoms appear, these symptoms will typically occur between 2 to 4 weeks or 15-50 days after contact with the virus. Below are other symptoms of hepatitis A:
- Tired;
- Fever;
- Fatigue;
- Abdominal pain;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Diarrhea;
- Dark urine;
- Joint pain;
- Loss of appetite;
- Jaundice (yellow eyes and skin).
Treatment and Hep A Vaccine Before Travel
There is no specific medication to cure Hepatitis A. However, treatment can be done by doing supportive care like getting rest until the patient has a full recovery. Other treatments that can be done are getting an injection of an antibody (immunoglobulin) to treat a person exposed to hepatitis A and getting hep A vaccine before travel as a protection against the virus. You may consult with a doctor first to decide the most appropriate treatment. Patients can take these steps to treat symptoms of hepatitis A during the healing process:
- Have enough rest
An infected person must get plenty of rest, as hepatitis A virus will cause you to be easily tired and you may also feel less energized.
- Try to keep food down if nausea occurs
A patient can consume snacks rather than having a full meal and eat high-calorie foods, drink milk and fruit juice instead of water to prevent nausea and vomiting. Because vomiting can lead to dehydration, the patient can also get fluids therapy to keep you hydrated.
- Don’t drink alcohol
Consumption of alcohol as it can cause liver damage. Liver may also have difficulty to process medications and alcohol at the same time.
- Get hep A vaccine before travel or immunoglobulin
If a person got infected with hepatitis A, the doctor may recommend the patient to have an injection of immunoglobulin as an antibody. In addition, getting hep a vaccine before travel is also recommended for tourists who are traveling in high risk areas, or where there is an outbreak and hepatitis A is common. Hep a vaccine before travel should also be given to people with a high-risk of infection, such as infants between 6 to 11 months old who are traveling abroad, people with liver disease, men who have sexual activity with other men, people who use illegal drugs, and people with blood clotting disorders.
If you or your loved ones got infected with hepatitis A virus, do not hesitate to book a doctor and get hepatitis A vaccine to your location through Medi-Call Application or simply contact Medi-Call Hotline at +62 81210783387.
