Let’s take a look at the symptoms of hepatitis A, infection, and vaccination. Hepatitis A is an acute liver disease caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is mainly spread through contaminated foods or water. In the early days, jaundice occurs after symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and anorexia, etc. are characterized by jaundice. To prevent, the vaccination of hepatitis A, which has a high prevention effect with two vaccinations along with personal hygiene management, is recommended.
Hepatitis A symptom
Hepatitis A is an acute liver disease caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is mainly spread through contaminated foods or water, and symptoms appear after an average of 30 days (15-50 days) after exposure to the virus. Adults have a distinct symptom, while children under 6 years of age have only asymptomatic or minor symptoms. Hepatitis A is mostly recovered naturally within 2 to 3 months without complications, and is characterized by chronic characteristics, unlike type B or C.
Initial symptoms
- Fatigue and systemic weakness: The most common initial symptom of hepatitis A, with severe fatigue that is difficult to do everyday activities. This is caused by a deterioration of liver function, and many patients misunderstand this symptoms with colds or body. Especially in adults, these fatigue can last for a few weeks.
- Fever and muscle pain: Many patients experience fever and muscle pain with symptoms similar to colds. The body temperature usually rises more than 38 degrees and is accompanied by joint pain. These symptoms appear as an immune response of the body to the virus and generally appear before jaundice occurs.
- Digestive: Digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, etc. are common. In particular, pain may occur in the right upper abdomen (where the liver is located), and some patients may have diarrhea. These symptoms are caused by deterioration of digestion as the virus affects the liver.
Picture jaundice symptoms
- jaundice: A characteristic symptom of about 70%of patients with hepatitis A, and the skin and eye whites turn yellow. Jaundice is caused by the failure to properly handle the liver bilirubin, usually occurred within one week after the initial systemic symptoms appear. When jaundice appears, the previous systemic symptoms tend to be relaxed, and jaundice lasts about two weeks.
- Urine and stool change: The urine color becomes darker with jaundice, and it looks like a cola color, and the feces will be bleached. This is because Bilirubin is discharged into the urine and is not fully discharged by feces. This change can appear before the jaundice begins, which is an important clue to the initial diagnosis.
Other symptoms
- ItchingIn patients with jaundice, itching may occur on the whole body. This is due to the increase in bilirubin levels in the blood, especially at night. Itching gradually relaxes as the liver function recovers.
- Liver function abnormalityIn the blood test, the liver enzyme level (ALT, AST) rises significantly, especially the ALT tends to be higher than AST. This is an indicator of hepatocytes, and even if you do not have symptoms, you can check the hepatitis through the test. Bilirubin levels can also increase to 10 or more.
Hepatitis A is mostly recovered naturally without special treatment, but sufficient rest and nutrition are important. In case of severe symptoms, inpatient treatment may be required, and alcohol and liver drugs must be avoided. In order to prevent, personal hygiene management is important along with hepatitis A vaccination.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is mainly spread through fecal-oral transmission. It can be infected by eating foods or water contaminated with viruses or close contact with infected people, and is contagious for one week after jaundice two weeks before the expression of symptoms. Especially, one to two weeks before the symptoms are expressed, the most infectious power is the most infectious power, and the virus can be spread even if the infected person does not know his infection. Hepatitis A, unlike type B or C, is not chronic and is characterized by lifelong immunity after cure.
Main radio route
- Contaminated foods and water: The most common route of hepatitis A is to eat food or water contaminated with viruses. In particular, the virus may be transferred to the food when the infected person prepares the food without washing his hands after using the toilet. In addition, when the shellfish caught in the untreated sewage are discharged, there is a high risk of infection. The virus is strong in heat, so it can be survived even if it is heated for 60 degrees to 60 minutes, so it is safe to cook at more than 1 minute at 85 ° C.
- Close personal contact: Hepatitis A can be spread through home contact or sexual contact with the infected person. In particular, in the process of caring for infants, such as changing diapers, it can be easily spread in nursery schools or homes. In addition, if you share the dishes such as the infected with water cups, or touch the contaminated surface, the virus may spread by touching the mouth, the eyes, or the nose without washing the hands.
Group risk factors
- Sanitation and environmental factors: Hepatitis A is highly risk of occurrence in an environment where public hygiene is poor. It is especially common in countries that lack effective water treatment and sanitation facilities. In the past 1960s and 1970s, when hygiene levels were poor, natural immunity was formed due to childhood infections, and the frequency of adults was low.
- Collective living environment: Hepatitis A is more likely to occur collectively in groups of schools, armies, and nursery schools. This is closely related to group meals, and it can be infected at once by eating foods cooked through water, ingredients, and kitchen utensils contaminated with hepatitis A virus. In addition, the virus can spread rapidly in an environment with high population density.
High risk
- International traveler: Travelers who visit developing countries or hepatitis A are highly risk of infection. In these areas, it can be easily exposed to viruses through contaminated water or food, so you need to be cautious about using bottled water and cooking food. Especially if you travel without an antibody, the risk of infection is even higher.
- Special group: Hepatitis A infection is also high in certain groups such as drug users, male homosexuals, and HIV infections through syringes. In these groups, radio waves through blood media or sexual contacts can occur more common. In addition, chronic liver patients can cause more serious symptoms if they are infected with hepatitis A, so vaccination is especially important.
Hepatitis A can effectively prevent through personal hygiene management and vaccination. Washing hands before eating or using toilets, safe food and water intake, and vaccination are the core of hepatitis A prevention. In particular, hepatitis A vaccination shows almost 100%antibody formation effect in two inocations, so it is recommended to be inoculated if it belongs to an adult or a high -risk group without antibodies.
Hepatitis A vaccination
Hepatitis A vaccination is a vaccine for preventing hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. It is a method of safely forming immunity using inactivated viruses. In Korea, an inactivation vaccine (sandy vaccine) is used, and it has a high preventive effect of 94 ~ 100%when inoculation. It has been included in the national vaccination since 2015, and free vaccinations have been carried out since 2012. In the age of 40, vaccines are vaccinated without antibody tests, and inoculation after the antibody test is recommended at age 40 or older. Hepatitis A has been suffering lightly when he was young in the past, but in recent years, adults who have not formed natural immunity due to the improvement of hygiene levels have suffered serious symptoms.
Target and schedule
- Children and adolescents: Vaccination is basically recommended for all children of 12-23 months. After 6 to 18 months after the first inoculation, a secondary inoculation is performed, and the capacity of 0.5ml (25 units) is inoculated for less than 18 years of age. Older children and adolescents who have not been vaccinated before are also subject to vaccination. It is included as part of regular pediatric vaccination, which is essential for all children.
- adult: For adults aged 19 or older, 1.0ml (50 units) capacity is first inoculated and secondary inoculation after 6-18 months. In particular, under 30 years old is inoculated without antibody tests, and inoculation is recommended if there is no antibody after antibody test. Adults who are not vaccinated from hepatitis A can be vaccinated without risk factors.
Recommended for inoculation
- Traveler and special occupation groupInoculation is recommended for those who travel or stay long -term in areas with high climate A climate (US, Canada, Western Europe, Northern Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand). In addition, laboratory workers who deal with hepatitis A virus, food sanitary businesses, and people who are cooked in group meals are also inoculated. Because of their professional nature, vaccination is important because there is a high risk of being exposed to viruses.
- Special environment and disease: Inoculs are also recommended for those who are at risk of social welfare facilities with poor hygiene environments, prisoners, workers, hemophilia patients, male homosexuals, chronic hepatitis infections or chronic hepatitis (chronic carriers in type B or hepatitis C virus). In particular, patients with chronic epilepsy can be more serious when infected with hepatitis A, so vaccination is very important.
Vaccine type and inoculation method
- Domestic vaccine: In Korea, hepatitis A inactivation vaccines such as Habrix, Bacteria, and Simsim are used. All vaccines are inoculated by muscle injections, and hepatitis A virus has a single antigen, so it is possible to cross -inoculation for the first and secondary inoculation, respectively. For example, you can first inoculate the first inoculation with a different hepatitis A vaccine (habrix) and after 6-12 months.
- Inoculation site and method: Children under 3 years of age are injected in the outside of the thighs, but if the muscles are rich in the triangles of the arm, they can be inoculated with the arm. It is a principle to inoculate the triangle of the arm from the age of 3, but it can also be inoculated before the femoral armor as needed. After vaccination, antibody tests are not generally recommended.
Hepatitis A vaccination is a two -time vaccination, which has nearly 100%antibody formation effects, and theoretically, adults are expected to maintain the prevention effect for more than 25 years and 14 to 20 years in children. As of 2025, hepatitis A vaccines are provided as part of the national vaccination project, and in some areas, local governments can receive vaccinations for free. In January 2025, the 6 -ga mixed vaccine, which can prevent six infectious diseases at the same time, was introduced as a national vaccination, further strengthening the children’s vaccination system.
FAQ
Q: What is the main symptoms of hepatitis A and what order do you appear?
A: Hepatitis A starts with symptoms similar to colds (fever, fatigue, muscle pain), and digestive symptoms (nausea, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain) appear. After that, jaundice occurs within about a week, the skin and snow whites turn yellow, the urine becomes darker and the stool becomes faded. Most adults have distinct symptoms, while children under 6 years of age have only 60%of them asymptomatic or mild symptoms. Symptoms usually recover naturally within 2-3 months.
Q: How is he hepatitis A?
A: hepatitis A is mainly spread through fecal-oral paths. It can be infected with food or water contaminated with viruses, or through close contact with the infected person (home contact, sexual contact). The contagious force is up to one week after jaundice two weeks before the expression of symptoms. Because of this, it is dangerous because an infected can spread the virus even if he does not know his infection.
Q: Who is recommended for hepatitis A vaccination, and what is the inoculation schedule?
A: Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children and adults with 12 to 23 months. Children are inoculated in 0.5ml capacity, adults at 1.0ml, and secondary inoculation 6-18 months after the first inoculation. It is especially recommended for high -risk groups such as hepatitis A trendy traveler, chronic lepreneur patients, hemophilia patients, male homosexuals, and food hygiene workers. Under 40 years old, inoculation is required without an antibody test, and inoculation is recommended after an antibody test.
Q: How long is the effect of hepatitis A vaccine and side effects?
A: Hepatitis A vaccine has a high preventive effect of 94-100%in two -time inoculation, and theoretically, adults are expected to maintain the prevention effect for more than 25 years and 14 to 20 years in children. After vaccination, local reactions, such as pain, redness, and swelling, are the most common, and systemic reactions may have fever, headaches, and fatigue, but most of them are light and temporary. Serious allergic reactions occur very rarely.
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