Hepatitis A

Generalities
Agent	Hepatitis A virus HAV, family Picornaviridae
Incubation period	28-30 days (range 15-50 days)
Period of transmissibility	During the second half of the incubation period, and up to one week after jaundice onset
Reservoir	Humans, rarely chimpanzees and other primates
Modes of transmission	- Person-to-person transmission: fecal oral route - Ingestion of contaminated food: prepared by food handler or undercooked mollusks harvested from contaminated water, contaminated produce - Ingestion of contaminated water or drinks - Transfusion of blood and clotting factor concentrates obtained from viremic donors - Injectable drug-use
Clinical presentation	- Febrile jaundice - Asymptomatic in childhood - Case fatality: 0.1-0.3 % (1.8% for >50 years) secondary to fulminant acute hepatitis
Resources
Case definition	MOPH circular no 47 (2007)
Forms	- General reporting form - Hepatitis A investigation form
Data	Refer to "Surveillance Data"