Before starting the description of the pathology, it should be clarified: Botkin's disease (jaundice) - what is hepatitis? Doctors attribute it to type A. This condition is widespread. The disease is not evenly distributed across countries and continents or within a single state.
Causes of infection
Sources of infection are carriers of all forms of acute infectious processes. The main epidemiological danger is presented by patients with asymptomatic and anicteric forms. In the second half of the incubation period , the excretion of the pathogen with feces begins. Virusemia is short-lived. The maximum probability of infection is observed in the last ten days of the incubation and during the preicteric period. After the manifestation of symptoms of pathology, the frequency of detection of the antigen of the virus in feces decreases sharply. Jaundice (hepatitis A) is characterized by seasonality. The highest epidemiological risk in autumn and winter.
As a rule, an increase in the incidence is observed from July to August, gradually reaching a maximum from October to November. In the first half of the coming year, the incidence is on the decline.
How does infection happen?
The causative agent of the pathology is transmitted by fecal-oral, in some cases, by contact-household method. The virus enters the human body when they use infected food and water. The infectious dose is about 100-1000 particles. In practice, cases of parenteral infection have been described. Most often this was noted during transfusion of blood or its components. Children have a sufficiently high susceptibility to the virus. Jaundice (hepatitis A) is also very common in organized groups. After the disease, a stable, long-lasting, and in some cases lifelong immunity is developed. Clinical forms of pathology form a more stable defense than asymptomatic.
The mechanism of the development of the disease
Acute jaundice (hepatitis A) develops when infected with hepatotoxic factors or when infection occurs in liver cells.
Pathogenesis is caused by the formation of an autoimmune reaction - the production of antibodies in the body to its own tissues. With these processes, inflammation, damage and destruction of hepatocytes, a violation of the liver. The chronic course of the disease occurs with an insufficiently cured or neglected acute condition. Often the disease becomes cirrhosis.
Symptoms
Jaundice (hepatitis A) in mild form often proceeds without any manifestations and in many cases is not diagnosed. The process can become chronic if it is not detected during preventive examinations. Pathology can be accompanied by itching, the appearance of red dots on the skin (petechiae), neurotic manifestations, bradycardia. In the chronic course, the disease has symptoms such as increased fatigue, weakness, sleep disturbances, mental lability, and headaches. In some cases, nausea appears, vomiting reflexes, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, upset stomach, constipation occur.
How to treat jaundice?
Therapy of acute conditions is carried out in stationary conditions. In addition to conservative treatment, a special diet is prescribed to the patient. In severe cases, the patient is transferred to bed rest. As a treatment, detoxification infusions are used to help compensate for lost liver function. Therapy includes hepatoprotectors, which are prescribed by the doctor.