But Allison continued to vomit the rest of the day until dehydration became a worry. The story went on to say that her parents took her to Kootenai Medical Center's emergency room that night and that Patti sensed her diagnosis was right when blood test results sent nurses scurrying to warn everyone about Allison's infected body fluids. Hepatitis A zeroes in on the liver, weakening it so much that it can't process medications. There's no treatment. The virus has to run its course, which varies from weeks to months.
Most people fully recover.
Ingesting fecal-contaminated food or water is the only way to catch the Hep A virus, unlike the more dangerous but slightly less common hepatitis B virus which is most often transmitted through sexual contact. As well, unwashed shellfish from contaminated water can carry the virus and drinking water contaminated with sewage is another way to catch it. Hepatitis A is so common that 152,000 cases are reported in this country each year. Forty cases already have been reported to Panhandle Health District through May this year, which equals the total number of cases in North Idaho in 1997. The article said that the number of hepatitis A victims was rising so fast that public health agencies have launched a national campaign promoting good hygiene the best prevention.