Hepatitis viruses in food: how do they get there and how are they countered?
Hepatitis is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the liver and causes liver disease. There are several types of hepatitis viruses, as we explain in this article, named by letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, and E), with important differences between them.
Only two of them, viruses A and E, which are considered the most common and the cause of acute epidemic hepatitis, are transmitted Contaminated food and water.
Hepatitis A virus, one of the most common causes of foodborne infection
Hepatitis A (HA) is an inflammatory liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is found in the feces and blood of infected people and is highly contagious.
will be handed over especially through fecal-oral routeThat is, when an uninfected person eats water or food contaminated with the feces of an infected person or through close personal contact (although it can also be transmitted through certain sexual practices).
Hepatitis A is the most common viral hepatitis and individual declaration has been mandatory in Spain since 1997. In the last two years (2020-2021), the number of HA cases in Spain is significantly reduced.
This is something experts It is partly due to coexistence with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has led to a large reduction in most vaccine-preventable diseases.
It usually causes a mild infection, with full recovery after a few weeks, according to the Catalan Association of Liver Patients (ASSCAT), with symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, jaundice, dark urine and fatigue. Recovery ends when the body expels the infection and the disease does not become chronic.
Foods Most Contributed to Hepatitis A
Foods related to the spread are:
- Seafood grown in polluted waters Consumed raw or undercooked: Oysters, scallops, scallops or mussels from harvesting or agricultural areas where the water is contaminated with faecal matter.
- Contaminated prepared food By carriers: This refers mainly to preparations that are not cooked after processing, such as vegetables, salads, fruits, fish, milk and dairy products such as ice cream.
- Contaminated plant products Irrigation with contaminated water: lettuce, onion, tomato, parsley, etc.
- Water transfer: Deficient water supply networks or wastewater collection problems.
The hepatitis A virus is very persistent, remaining infectious for months at room temperature. It can withstand moderate heat (60ÂșC for one hour) and is not destroyed by undercooked food. It’s off Preparation for at least five minutesUV radiation or chlorine treatment.
Personal hygiene measures (frequent hand washing) and environmental measures (proper treatment and storage of water, washing and preparation of food) are key to preventing infection.
Living together at home with a person suffering from hepatitis A forces us to take extreme hygiene measures to avoid transmission: do not share plates or cutlery, wash our hands well, etc. The good news is that there is a vaccine for this type of virus that is almost 100% effective.
Hepatitis E virus is considered a potentially zoonotic disease
As before, hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be transmitted by consuming contaminated food or water. It is considered a disease potentially zoonoticThat is, it is transmitted from animals to humans with certain genotypes In pigs and wild boars, as well as in birds or rabbits.
Hepatitis E is transmitted mainly through the fecal-oral route and by:
- Water contaminated with feces.
- Products obtained from infected animals: For example, pork, pate or game meat.
- Contaminated food such as vegetables or shellfish.
This virus which It usually does not cause chronic disease, can also be transmitted by transfusion of infected blood products and from a pregnant woman to the fetus. With an incubation period of approximately 40 days, it reaches peak serum levels between 30 and 120 days after infection.
The jaundice phase is characterized by yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes, which may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, general weakness, loss of appetite, joint pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Prevention passes Extreme hygiene measuresAvoid consumption of non-potable water and contaminated food, since unlike hepatitis A virus, there is no specific vaccine against hepatitis E virus.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends the preparation of pork, wild boar and deer meat and offal, especially liver, as pigs and wild boar are considered the main carriers of hepatitis E.
Prognosis of hepatitis A and E viruses
According to the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), these two viruses persist in the environment and can resist processes commonly used to inactivate or control pathogenic bacteria, thus playing an important role Prevention and hygiene.
Epidemic acute hepatitis caused by viruses A and E does not become chronic and usually resolves spontaneously in most cases. However, it is estimated that only 1% may have a more serious prognosis that requires treatment.
Source: El Diario
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