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hepatitis A
a type dependent on exposure to hepatitis A virus from an infected person; the primary mode of transmission is ingestion of something contaminated with feces. This type is
seen most often in children and young adults, especially under conditions of poor sanitation and overcrowding. It is often
a mild disease that resembles “flu,” and therefore may be either misdiagnosed or ignored completely. It does not usually cause
lasting damage to the liver. Shedding of the virus is highest during the two weeks before the onset of jaundice, and before the infected person shows clear symptoms, so that that is when there is greatest danger of infection. As the
disease progresses and jaundice appears, the excretion of viruses decreases and the person becomes less infectious. Called also infectious hepatitis.
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