Natural History, Clinical Manifestations, and Pathogenesis of Hepatitis A

Overview

Journal Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2018 Feb 15

PMID 29440324

Citations 64

Authors

Eui-Cheol Shin

Sook-Hyang Jeong

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is transmitted by the fecal-oral route and is a major cause of acute viral hepatitis. The clinical manifestations of HAV infection range from asymptomatic infection to acute liver failure (ALF), but do not include progression to chronic hepatitis. Risk factors for severe acute hepatitis A are older age (>40 years) and preexisting liver disease. Some patients may show atypical clinical features such as relapsing hepatitis, prolonged cholestasis, or extrahepatic manifestations. Almost all hepatitis A patients spontaneously recover with supportive care. However, in the case of ALF (<1%), intensive care and urgent decision on liver transplantation are required. Liver injury during hepatitis A is not directly caused by HAV but is known to be caused by immune-mediated mechanisms. In this review, the natural history and clinical manifestations of hepatitis A are described. In addition, mechanisms of immunopathogenesis in hepatitis A are discussed.

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