Campania is recording a significant increase in hepatitis A cases: as of March 18, 133 have been reported. A fact that has pushed the Region to strengthen controls along the entire food chain, in particular on bivalve molluscs, and to intensify prevention and information activities. The suspicion is that the peak is also linked to holiday eating habits, when the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood increases.
According to the World Health Organization and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità , hepatitis A is an acute liver infection caused by the HAV virus and continues to represent one of the main food-borne infections even in developed countries. It is not a chronic disease, but it can be debilitating and, in some cases, more severe in adults.
How contagion occurs
Infection occurs via the fecal-oral route, i.e. by ingesting contaminated water or food or through direct contact with an infected person. The critical point is that the virus is transmitted even before symptoms appear: those infected can spread it for a week before realizing it. The incubation period can last up to 50 days, often making it difficult to precisely pinpoint the source of the infection.
Among the main transmission vehicles are bivalve molluscs such as mussels, clams and oysters, which filter large quantities of water and can accumulate viruses if coming from contaminated environments. The risk isn’t just seafood: berries, raw vegetables and unsafe water can also be involved. In recent years, several outbreaks in Europe have been associated with products consumed raw or poorly treated.
What are the symptoms of hepatitis a
Symptoms may appear gradually and are not always immediately recognisable. They often manifest themselves with fever, severe tiredness, nausea and abdominal pain, followed by more specific signs such as dark urine, light stools and jaundice, i.e. the yellow coloring of the skin and eyes. In children the infection may go unnoticed, while in adults it tends to be more obvious and difficult to deal with. The World Health Organization reports that the severity increases with age and in people with existing liver disease.
How to prevent hepatitis A
Prevention remains the real decisive point. The consumption of raw shellfish represents the main avoidable risk factor: cooking must be complete and uniform, because the simple fact that the valves open does not guarantee safety. Even frozen berries must be consumed only after adequate cooking, while fresh ones must be washed carefully. Personal hygiene plays an equally central role: thorough hand washing and the use of safe water are simple but crucial measures. Contamination can also easily occur in the kitchen, through uncleaned utensils or surfaces.
On the prevention front, vaccination is considered by experts to be the most effective tool. It is particularly recommended for those who have been in close contact with a case of hepatitis A, for those who work in the food sector and for the most vulnerable people. In case of recent exposure, the vaccine can also be administered after contact and is more effective the more timely the intervention is.
The Campania situation is not an isolated exception, but yet another sign of a problem that recurs cyclically. Hepatitis A has not disappeared: it continues to circulate, exploiting daily carelessness, especially at the table. The difference, once again, is made by concrete and often underestimated behaviors.
