Myths about hepatitis A: Is the disease incurable?
Hepatitis A outbreak in Ukraine (collage: RBC-Ukraine)
An outbreak of the viral disease hepatitis A has been detected in Ukraine. Additionally to treating the disease, the dissemination of accurate information and knowledge about the virus serves as another tool in combating it, infectious disease specialist Serhii Fedorkiv has compiled the primary misconceptions surrounding hepatitis.
Immunity acquired after hepatitis A infection confers protection against other viral forms of hepatitis
There are two ways to acquire immunity to hepatitis A:
- through vaccination or,
- by contracting the disease.
The doctor emphasizes that this disease is not limited to drug addicts and prostitutes.
In the former scenario, immunity typically lasts for around 10 years, while in the latter case, it is lifelong.
Hepatitis is a disease of drug addicts and prostitutes
The doctor emphasizes that the hepatitis A virus is transmitted through the fecal-oral method, which can infect anyone. Vaccination is also recommended.
Prevention methods include selecting fresh and high-quality food, washing hands thoroughly after visiting public places and restrooms and eating and drinking clean water.
Hepatitis is incurable
Hepatitis A is a curable illness that typically does not result in viral chronicity, ensuring complete recovery and lifelong immunity. For optimum treatment success and ease, prompt medical attention is recommended at the onset of symptoms.
The most common warning signs are:
- nausea
- fever
- weakness
- lack of appetite
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- unpleasant sensations in the abdomen
- darkening of urine
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
It is sufficient to receive a single vaccination during one's lifetime
Revaccination for hepatitis A is essential every ten years, according to medical professionals. If you have already contracted hepatitis, your body has likely developed an immunity to the disease.
Hepatitis can be treated using traditional methods
Many traditional remedies for treating hepatitis can be found in publicly available sources. However, infectious disease specialist Fedorkiv cautions against their use.
"In most cases, individuals with viral hepatitis A do not require any medical intervention and therefore do not need to pursue folk remedies." The liver is particularly vulnerable, and the use of folk remedies that are metabolized in the liver can potentially worsen a person's overall condition," emphasized the speaker.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
