How to Prevent Hepatitis A?
Top Ten Tips to Follow
Hepatitis A viral infection is highly contagious and it can spread through personal contact. Isolating the infected person and maintaining cleanliness will help to prevent the disease from further spread. If eating out or travelling, some further precautions are necessary to avoid infection with the virus. Infection with Hepatitis A virus is more due to poor hygiene whereas Hepatitis B spread occurs as a result of contact with blood of an infected person such as by sharing needles or through sexual contact.
Following are the precautions that you should observe if you are in contact with an infected person or if you are in a region where the infection is prevalent -
1. Universal precautions like frequent hand washing helps in prevention of the infection from one person to another
2. Hands should be washed thoroughly with soap after using toilets so that the virus is not transmitted from contacting an affected person's blood, faeces, or any body fluid.
3. Food should be protected from flies
4. People who handle food should regularly wash hands, use gloves and use cleanliness while handling and serving food.
5. No one should share the infected person’s food, utensils, clothes or towels.
6. Avoid eating raw vegetables, fruits and raw shellfish
7. Avoid adding ice to your drinks
8. Boil the water or drink bottled water
9. Rinse and brush your teeth with boiled or bottled water
10. Take Hepatitis A vaccine injection before travelling to a tropical country
Diet to be followed if you are suffering from Hepatitis A Infection
A person with hepatitis just needs to follow a healthy, well-balanced diet. Avoid high-calorie greasy, fatty food. Sugary food can be had only in moderation. A multi-vitamin supplement maybe taken along with the herbal preparation such as ‘Milk Thistle’ after consulting your doctor. Milk thistle has been known to have restorative properties for liver in case of inflammation and cirrhosis and is available as capsules. All food should be well washed and if possible boiled before consumption. The dietary advice that is suggested is as follows-
- Have plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains such as oats, brown rice and barley are permitted
- Lean protein as in fish, skinless chicken, egg whites, and beans can be consumed
- Avoid fatty food. Consume Low-fat milk and other dairy products
- Plenty of water can be consumed, but avoid colas and coffee
- Avoid Alcohol
- Avoid Saturated fat such as butter, cream and fried food items
- Avoid raw or undercooked shellfish
- Avoid processed food
- Low and healthy fats as those in nuts, avocados, and olive oil are safe
