Viral hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease seriously threatening people's health. As summer approaches, the high temperature ushers in another epidemic season for hepatitis A.

Viral hepatitis A, commonly known as hepatitis A, is a statutory B infectious diseases and one of the most common acute infectious diseases in our country, with peak morbidity and infection in summer and autumn. Hepatitis A infection is mainly transmitted through the digestive tract and close contact with hepatitis patients, such as sharing tableware, cups, dental equipments and so on, or taking food and water contaminated by hepatitis A virus.

Hepatitis is commonly seen in children and adolescents with clinical manifestations of acute symptoms, with chills, fever, bellyache, diarrhea, dyspepsia, anorexia, nausea, fatigue, hepatomegaly and liver dysfunction. Clinically, approximately 83% of the hepatitis A patients have fever between 38℃-39℃, and 90% of the patients have jaundice, so people sometimes call hepatitis A "jaundice hepatitis".

To prevent hepatitis A, we should first develop good health habits and be alert that "illness finds its way in by the mouth". Wash hands before meals and after using toilet, do not drink unboiled water, do not eat cold food or eat cold food as little as possible. Make sure the fruit, lettuce, and other vegetables are cleanly washed before eating. Leftover food should be stored in the refrigerator, and fully heated before eating the next time. For some food which easily carry virus, such as shellfish, clams and other aquatic products, make sure they have been cooked thoroughly and fully steamed before eating. Normally, one-minute heating at 100℃ will inactivate the hepatitis A virus.

In addition, when fever shows up accompanied by fatigue, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, jaundice and other symptoms, the patient should immediately go to the intestinal tract out-patient clinic of a hospital for the sake of "early diagnosis, early reporting, early quarantine and early treatment". This is of great significance to the control of hepatitis A outbreak.

Monitoring indicates that most people over the age of 45 have a protective antibody against hepatitis A. Therefore, for the above-mentioned age group, we do not vigorously promote vaccination. However, age group below 45, especially children, should be vaccinated as early as possible in order to avoid hepatitis A virus infection. Normally, about 8 weeks after vaccination, antibodies can be well produced to ensure a good immunity.

At present, our city has already introduced hepatitis A vaccination into the immunization programs for children program. Both the school-age children of the city and the children from other cities who are now living in Beijing can get free vaccination from the local vaccination clinics in their place of residence. Each child needs two injections for full immunization, the first being conducted when the child is 18 months old, and the second conducted 6 months later, that is, the second injection serves to boost immunization when the child is two years old.

Beijing attaches great importance to the prevention and treatment of hepatitis A. Through strengthening health education, vaccination, food safety supervision according to the law and other means, we have effectively controlled the intensity of the epidemic of hepatitis A in our city. By the end of 2008, the incidence of hepatitis A in our city has decreased from 200/100,000 people in 1990s to less than 2/100,000 people in 2008.