Infectious diseases of the liver fall into the following categories:
• Viral infections
• Pyogenic liver abscess
• Fungal and mycobacterial infections
• Parasitic infections
Out of those about 100 deaths are caused by fulminant hepatitis failure each year in the U.S.
In 15% of the cases the illness develops into a lingering or relapsing disease. Hepatitis A accounts for from one fifth to one quarter of clinical hepatitis and most frequently affects children between the ages of 5 and 14 years old. The most common way in which hepatitis A is transmitted is through the fecal-oral route, through contaminated food and/or water.
There are several risk factors for hepatitis A which people should be aware of:
• Contact with an infected person, the closer the contact the higher the risk.
• Daycare centers or young children where workers handle diapers and then prepare meals.
• Travel, especially internationally.
• Raw oysters and clams can transmit water borne hepatitis A.
• Intravenous drug use and in rare cases transfusions can increase risk.
Most cases of hepatitis A, and especially in the case of children, are asymptomatic, but when symptoms do present the patient will feel nausea, fatigue, myalgia, fever and jaundice. Adults usually have more severe symptoms than children. Aside from the less than 1% of patients that develop fulminant liver failure, almost all the rest experience complete recoveries.
