According to the CDC, Hepatitis A accounts for 25% of all viral hepatitis in the United States. Hepatitis A is one of the more severe food borne diseases.
Hepatitis A was transmitted primarily by the fecal-oral route and distinguished this disease from serum hepatitis, or hepatitis B.
The virus of Hepatitis A can be shed in feces for up to 14 days before the onset of illness. The Hepatitis A virus is an enteric virus, which causes a liver disease in humans now known as hepatitis A.
There are number of different hepatitis viruses but only the Hepatitis A virus and possibly Hepatitis E virus can cause food borne disease.
In the United States, the most common source of infection is contact with an HAV-infected person.
The importance of food and water in the transition of Hepatitis A has been well established. Contamination comes from infected food, water polluted with infected fecal matter, contaminated foods, vegetables, and sea foods, like shell fish, which are often caught in contaminated water.
Hepatitis A virus infection is highly endemic in developing countries where children have experience mild infections and acquired active immunity by the age of six.
Hepatitis A virus manifests only acute symptoms that include fatigue, jaundice, fever, nausea, abdominal pain, light stool and dark urine.
Hepatitis A and food contamination
