Spaces:
Sleeping
Sleeping
| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| HEPATITIS A | |
| Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by | |
| the hepatitis A virus. | |
| Who gets this disease? | |
| Anyone can. It can spread quickly in groups of | |
| small children who are not yet toilet- trained and | |
| who cannot wash their own hands well. | |
| How is it spread? | |
| Hepatitis A virus is passed out of the body in the | |
| stool and is spread by the fecal-oral route, just like | |
| infectious diarrhea. Contact with stool - | |
| contaminated food, drink or environment surfaces | |
| (e.g., toilet seat, changing table) can spread t he | |
| infection. | |
| What are the symptoms? | |
| The symptoms vary greatly, ranging from none at | |
| all to severe illness. Early symptoms can include | |
| loss of appetite, nausea, aching, fever, and | |
| stomachache. Later signs can include dark | |
| colored urine, light colored s tools and jaundice | |
| (i.e., yellowing of white of eyes, eyes or skin). | |
| (Note: jaundice occurs more often among adults | |
| than children). These symptoms usually last from | |
| one to two weeks, although some adults may be | |
| sick for several months. | |
| How soon do symptoms appear? | |
| After the hepatitis A virus is ingested, it is | |
| between 15 -50 days before illness begins. Most | |
| commonly, it begins within 25-30 days. | |
| Can a person have this disease without | |
| knowing it? | |
| Yes. This is especially important in the childcare | |
| setting because most young children with hepatitis | |
| A do not become ill. Children with hepatitis A | |
| without symptoms who are in diapers could easily | |
| pass the virus to unsuspecting childcare facility | |
| staff and family members. | |
| In addition, people with hepatitis A are most | |
| likely to spread the disease to others during a | |
| period extending from 14 days before developing | |
| symptoms to one week after symptoms develop. | |
| This means that a person may be infectious to | |
| others before even realizing he or she is ill. | |
| What is the treatment? | |
| There is no treatment that cures hepatitis A. | |
| However, there are two shots available to help | |
| prevent illness in people exposed to patients with | |
| hepatitis A. These protective shots – either | |
| hepatitis A vaccine or Hepatitis A immune | |
| globulin (IG) – must be given within two weeks | |
| of a person’s exposure to hepatitis A in order for | |
| it to be helpful. A person’s healthcare provider | |
| and the New Hampshire Division of Public Health | |
| Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control | |
| will assist in making re commendations about | |
| administering hepatitis A vaccine or IG to | |
| contacts. | |
| How can the spread of this disease be | |
| prevented? | |
| 1. Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for | |
| children 12- 23 months. The Advisory | |
| Committee on Immunization Practices | |
| (ACIP), recommends immunizing children | |
| against Hepatitis A. | |
| 2. The two dose series should be given at 12 | |
| and 18 months of age Children who are | |
| not vaccinated by age 2 years can be | |
| vaccinated at subsequent visits. | |
| 3. Wash hands thoroughly after using the | |
| toilet. | |
| 4. Wash hands thoroughly after diapering | |
| children. | |
| 5. Wash hands thoroughly before preparing | |
| food. | |
| HEPATITIS A (cont.) | |
| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| 6. Clean toilet facilities thoroughly and wash | |
| hands afterward. | |
| 7. Discourage children from putting non- | |
| food items into their mouths since these | |
| items may be a source of the virus. | |
| Who should be excluded? | |
| Persons with hepatitis A (or suspected | |
| hepatitis A) should be excluded from daycare | |
| centers, food-handling occupations, and direct | |
| care of hospitalized and institutionalized | |
| patients for one week after the onset of | |
| symptoms (jaundice) or hepatitis A has been | |
| ruled out. A Public Health Professional will | |
| advise individuals regarding specific | |
| recommendations. | |
| Reportable? | |
| Yes, hepatitis A is reportable by New | |
| Hampshire law to the Division of Public | |
| Health Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease | |
| Control at (603) 271-4496. | |
| It is important that cases associated with a | |
| childcare center be reported as soon as | |
| possible. A Public Health Professional will | |
| give specific recommendations for | |
| immunization of the people exposed. | |