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Frequently Asked Questions
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| Prevention |
| Are there shortages of immunoglobulin in the U.S.? |
| Can immunoglobulin be administered along with inactivated vaccine? |
| Should I immunize persons who work in institutions for the developmentally disabled, day care centers, and hospitals and workers exposed to sewage? |
| Should I immunize food service employees? |
| Screening |
| Should I test patients for anti-HAV before vaccination? |
| Will vaccine be protective if my patient is traveling to an HAV-endemic area in 1 week? |
| My patient reports that he ate at a restaurant 3 weeks ago and he heard that there was an outbreak of hepatitis A associated with that restaurant. Should I give him immunoglobulin? |
| Diagnosis |
| How often should I follow LFT results in a patient with acute hepatitis A? |
| What should I do with a patient who is IgM negative up to a week after clinical onset of disease and possible exposure to HAV? |
| What do I do with a patient who has improved clinically who suddenly becomes jaundiced? |
| Consultation for Diagnosis |
| When should patients be referred to a hepatologist or gastroenterologist? |
| Is there any indication for imaging studies in the diagnosis or treatment of hepatitis A? |
| Is there any indication for biopsy in the diagnosis or treatment of hepatitis A? |
| Hospitalization |
| Should I hospitalize a pregnant patient who has been vomiting for 24 to 48 hours? |
| Should I hospitalize a patient with a slightly elevated prothrombin time? |
| Should a patient be discharged if the prothrombin time has not returned to normal? |
| Non-drug Therapy |
| Are there any herbal preparations that are safe to take for hepatitis A? |
| Are there therapies that can reduce the duration of hepatitis A? |
| Are there non-drug therapies that are helpful for reducing pruritus? |
| Drug Therapy |
| Should I stop or modify prescription medications that are metabolized by the liver in a patient with acute hepatitis A? |
| Is there any role for antiviral medication in the treatment of hepatitis A? |
| Should I use antipruritics and antiemetics in patients with acute hepatitis A? |
| Patient Education |
| How long should I stay home from work if I am a food service employee? |
| How long should I stay home from work if I am not a food service employee? |
| Can I continue to take my usual herbal preparations while I am ill with hepatitis A? |
| Consultation for Management |
| What do I do with a patient whose condition was improving but is now worsening? |
| What follow-up, if any, is needed for a patient whose condition appears to be improving? |
| Should I refer anorexic patients for nutritional counseling? |
| Follow-up |
| Should I evaluate LFT results in a patient who has recovered from hepatitis A? |
| How long can I expect LFT results to remain elevated? |
| Should I follow patients until LFT results are within the normal range? |
Hepatitis A
