Hepatitis A Infection and Vaccination

Hepatitis A Transmission and Complications

• Primary mode of transmission of Hepatitis A is through fecal-oral route, where the virus is ingested through contaminated food, water, or direct contact with an infected person.
• The longest duration of Hepatitis A viral shedding in feces is up to 2 weeks before the onset of symptoms and up to 2 weeks after the onset of jaundice.

Hepatitis A Vaccination

• Main advantage of Hepatitis A vaccination is that it provides long-term protection against the virus.

Hepatitis A Complications

• The most common complication of Hepatitis A is relapsing hepatitis, which occurs in approximately 10-15% of cases.

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis

• Recommended post-exposure prophylaxis for Hepatitis A is the administration of immune globulin (IG) or Hepatitis A vaccine, which can prevent or reduce the severity of infection if given within 2 weeks of exposure.