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The History of Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is one of several types of hepatitis, a disease of the liver. Caused by a virus, hepatitis A has been around for centuries, but the virus that causes the disease was not isolated until quite recently. The history of hepatitis A is long and of vital importance to the modern world we live in today. As global commerce increases, and people increasingly travel to other countries for business and pleasure, it is important to get vaccinated for the disease if you plan to travel abroad. The A form is the least severe, and is easily treatable.

  1. Pre-20th Century References

    • The disease has been around since at least the time of the ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates, when it was noted for causing jaundice. By the 8th century, it was known that the disease was infectious.
      Fast forward to 1885 when it was first discovered that hepatitis could be spread through blood transfusions.

    First Modern Identification

    • There were indications during WWII that hepatitis was being spread during vaccinations of allied troops, likely through dirty needles. However, it wasn't until 1973 that Robert H. Purcell was able to isolate hepatitis B, as the virus that causes hepatitis A was not discovered until a decade after that. There are now seven known forms of hepatitis.

    Frequency of Reported Cases

    • In 1988, 27,000 cases of hepatitis A were reported. By 1995, that number had jumped to 35,000. The number of reported cases is usually considered to be lower than the actual number of cases that occurred, as not all people might report their symptoms to their doctor, or have health insurance. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control showed that in 2003, the number of reported cases was only 7,653, with a projected number of actual cases estimated at around 33,000.

    The Shanghai Study

    • In Shanghai in 1988, epidemiologists had a rare chance to study an outbreak of hepatitis A in a larger population setting. In Shanghai that year, there was a large shellfish-related outbreak of the disease.

      Hepatitis A is more common in the developing world than in industrialized nations. Many Westerners are advised to get vaccinated for hepatitis A before heading to certain destinations overseas.

    First Vaccine

    • In the United States, the vaccine for hepatitis A is relatively new. There are currently two types of vaccine available. The first vaccine to be released with FDA approval was HAVRIX®, which was released in 1995. One year later, a second vaccine known as VAQTA® also was made available to the public. Both vaccines are inactivated virus vaccines, with no live components.

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