Kalderimis

ASHBURTON is facing a hepatitis A epidemic. At the time of writing there have been 28 confirmed cases in Ashburton, with the age range from just over a year to 53. Some of the people have had to be admitted to hospital.

Hepatitis A is caused by a virus which is spread through the fecal-oral route. This means that if you have been in direct contact with an infected person and they have not washed their hands properly or you have been in contact with contaminated food or water you may get this disease.

It is a common disease and although it is much more common in Third World countries, First World countries such as New Zealand can occasionally be affected by it.

Unlike other forms of hepatitis which need much more intimate contact such as broken skin, blood, sexual contact or infected needles, hepatitis A is more easily spread. The illness is usually contracted in early childhood and it appears that in Ashburton the initial contact was a child who had been overseas and come back with the illness.

In most people hepatitis A will not cause any clinical signs or symptoms. Unlike hepatitis B or C, it is a self-limiting disease and does not cause chronic liver damage. However, about 5 per cent to 10 per cent, usually over the age of 50, who contract the illness may relapse within six months.

The incubation time is about