How Effective is Inactivated Hepatitis A Vaccine?

Discussion In 1997, 150 cases of Hepatitis A (HAV) were reported in Michigan from contaminated strawberries. The strawberries were produced in Mexico and distributed to the US Department of Agriculture sponsored school lunch programs in six states. Most of the containers were not served to students and the majority of cases occurred in Michigan only. HAV is an RNA virus of the picornavirus family. The virus is spread mainly by fecal-oral contamination and contaminated food and water supplies. The incubation period is 15 to 50 days. The average is 28 days. Patients are most infectious during the one to two weeks before onset of jaundice or elevation of liver enzymes and risk of spread to others is minimal by one week after the onset of jaundice. HAV is a self-limited illness whose symptoms usually include fever, jaundice, anorexia, nausea, and malaise. Risk factors include close personal contact or exposure to persons with HAV, child in a day care center where a case has been report, international adoptee, men who have sex with men, and use of illegal drugs and of course, food borne exposure. In approximately 2/3 of cases, the source cannot be determined. In areas of the world where HAV is endemic, young children who acquire the disease early in life are usually asymptomatic. In areas of the world where the virus is not endemic, disease is acquired much later in life and is symptomatic. Endemicity rates are highly correlated to socioeconomic status and clean water supplies...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news