Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Hepatitis A historical perspective
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Hepatitis A virus was first identified in 1973. It was classified as a separate disease from other types of hepatitis during World War II. However, its true prevalence and route of transmission would only be recognized later. During 1995-1996, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the inactivated hepatitis A vaccine. Consequently, hepatitis A became a disease that was not only common but also vaccine-preventable.
Historical Perspective
Historical Perspective
The earliest descriptions of diseases similar to Hepatitis A virus were reported 5000 years ago in China. Hippocrates also described a disease resembling hepatitis A that he called benign epidemic jaundice [1].
During the 17th century, outbreaks of hepatitis A were reported in military camps. In the US, first outbreak of more than 40,000 cases was reported in 1812 in Norfolk, VA. An estimated 16 million cases of hepatitis A were reported during the world war I and World War II [1].
Hepatitis A virus was first identified in 1973. In the US, hepatitis A vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995.
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Feinstone SM (2019). “History of the Discovery of Hepatitis A Virus”. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 9 (5). doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a031740. PMC 6496330. PMID 29712682.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]