Hepatitis A cases now 'stabilized'

CEBU, Philippines - The number of Hepatitis A cases in Barangay Pahina Central has ‘stabilized’ since an outbreak was declared in the barangay last month, city health officials said.

According to Dr. Raymond R. Ogan, CFP Medical Specialist, two of the 16 patients infected by the virus have already recovered. The other 14 patients are on their way to recovery and are under constant medication and consultation. The 14 are receiving treatment at home.

How the virus spread in the community is yet to be determined.

City epidemiologist Dr. Ilya A. Tac-an said that there are two possible ways for the virus to spread – through contaminated water or food. On this hypothesis, the City Health Field Program has taken samples of the water from the affected area’s water lines, as well as from public water dispensers called the Automatic Tubig Machines (ATMs). The water samples will undergo examination to confirm contamination.

Also, having found out that 90 percent of households from the affected areas prefer to buy food from ambulant vendors and eateries, residents have been advised to cook food properly and wash hands the right way before and after eating.

Health officials said proper hygiene and proper cooking of food are still the best ways to prevent Hepatitis A.

Pending results of the water tests, the staff of the health center in the barangay was advised to monitor the patients regularly and to determine if other residents in the area are manifesting symptoms of infection by the virus.

Tac-an said an information campaign is ongoing for prevention, control and management of Hepatitis A.

Main signs and symptoms of Hepatitis A are jaundice or the yellowish pigmentation of the skin, tissues, and body fluids caused by the deposition of bile pigments; relapsing or recurring fever; abdominal pain; nausea and vomiting.

Virus Facts

According to www.healthforchildren.com, Hepatitis A is a form of viral hepatitis also known as infectious hepatitis, due to its ability to be spread through personal contact. It is a milder liver disease than hepatitis B and asymptomatic infections are very common, especially in children.

In Barangay Pahina Central, 12 of the 14 patients are minors with ages ranging from three years old to 16 years old.

Hepatitis A does not cause a carrier state or chronic liver disease and once infection ends, there is no lasting phase of illness. However, it is not uncommon to have a second episode of symptoms about a month after the first. This is reportedly called a relapse.

Found in the stool or feces, the virus is usually spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of a person infected with Hepatitis A. This is called fecal-oral transmission.

This is reportedly the reason why the virus spreads more easily in areas where there are poor sanitary conditions or where good personal hygiene is not observed. The common modes of transmission of hepatitis A are as follows: (1) consuming food made by someone who touched infected feces, (2) drinking water that is contaminated by infected feces (a problem in communities with poor sewage treatment facilities), (3) touching an infected person’s feces, which may occur with poor hand washing, (4) having direct contact in large daycare centers, especially where there are children in diapers, (5) being a resident of states in which hepatitis A is more common, and (6) sexual contact with an infected person. – (FREEMAN)