Preventive Steps to Be Taken for Infective Hepatitis

Infective hepatitis may spread via contaminated food or water. Majority of outbreaks occur in a population via these media.

What Is Infective Hepatitis?

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver or hepatic tissue. When infective causes such as viruses and bacteria affect the liver tissue, they cause irritation and inflammation, which is called infective hepatitis.

The condition spreads via infected water or food. So, general principals of personal and community hygiene would help in prevention of its spread.

Symptoms

The clear white portion of the eye turns yellowish in color. The skin may also be tinted yellow. The color of urine is darker than usual whereas stools are pale.

In severe cases, the eyes may become brown in color.

Patient may complain of gastric upsets with mild to severe stomach pain. Their is a lot of fatigue and weakness. There may be an urge to vomit.

Patient complains of loss of appetite. In severe cases, he may feel very weak or dizzy.

Preventive Steps

• Wash hands each time after using the washrooms.
• Wash hands after changing diapers or touching the bottom area.
• Always wash hands thoroughly before eating food or preparing meals.
• Food workers or restaurant cooks need to be trained to never touch food with bare hands. Also, food workers should not work if they are sick with any gastrointestinal problem.
• Drink adequately filtered water only. Inquire about your water supply and ensure there is no fecal contamination. If there is any chance of contamination, it is better to drink boiled water.
• Wash and cook all vegetables before eating. Avoid eating anything raw. Only fruits or salad vegetables that can be peeled may be taken raw. Ensure that they are washed thoroughly before consumption.
• Preventive vaccines are available for infective hepatitis. These are basically immunoglobulins or antibodies, which are given within 14 days of exposure to the bug. The vaccine is recommended if you are going into an affected area, or you are expecting an exposure in near future.
• For long-term protection, hepatitis A vaccine is the best method of prevention.
• Avoid or limit your daily alcohol consumption. Alcohol is metabolized by the liver. During infective hepatitis, the liver is inflamed and irritated. Taking alcohol may put extra burden on the sick liver.
• Maintain a healthy body weight and keep your cholesterol levels under check.
• Always be careful in mixing medications. Different medicines may adversely interact with each other, thereby producing reactions that may damage the liver. Alcohol reacts adversely with a number of over-the-counter medications.
• Do not use illegal recreational drugs.
• Avoid exposure to industrial chemicals. Most of the toxins inhaled or ingested are detoxified in the liver itself. A liver weakened due to infection may get severely damaged by external toxins.