Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A wata cuta ce ta hanta wadda Hepatitis A virus (HAV) ke haddasawa. Wannan ƙwayar cuta tana daga cikin Picornaviridae family, kuma tana shafar hanta inda take haddasa kumburi da rage aikin hanta na ɗan lokaci. Hepatitis A na ɗaya daga cikin cututtukan hanta da suka fi yaɗuwa a duniya, musamman a ƙasashe masu ƙarancin tsafta da ruwan sha mai kyau. Cutar tana yaɗuwa ne galibi ta hanyar abinci ko ruwa da suka gurɓace da najasa, ko ta hanyar rashin tsaftar hannu bayan zuwa bayan gida. Mutanen da ke rayuwa a wurare masu ɗimbin jama’a, musamman inda ruwan sha da abinci ba su da tsafta, suna cikin haɗari mafi girma.

Yawancin masu kamuwa da Hepatitis A suna warkewa gabaɗaya cikin makonni 2 zuwa 6, ba tare da samun matsala mai tsanani ba. Bayan warkewa, mutum na samun rigakafi na tsawon rayuwa daga cutar. Duk da haka, a wasu lokuta, musamman ga tsofaffi ko masu matsalar hanta, cutar na iya zama mai tsanani har ta kai ga matakin lalacewar hanta (fulminant hepatitis). Hepatitis A ba ta tsananta kamar Hepatitis B ko C; wato ba ta daɗewa a jiki. Akwai rigakafi mai inganci da aminci, kuma WHO ta tabbatar da cewa shigar da rigakafin Hepatitis A cikin tsarin rigakafin ƙasa shi ne ɗaya daga cikin hanyoyin da suka fi tasiri wajen daƙile yaduwar cutar.

Hepatitis A ita ce cutar hanta mai saukin sha’anin idan aka kwatanta Hepatitis B da C.

Bugu da ƙari, WHO ta bayyana cewa rashin ruwan sha mai tsabta, rashin tsaftar abinci, rashin wanke hannu tsaftsr da muhalli su ne manyan abubuwan da ke haifar da cutar, musamman a ƙasashe masu tasowa. Saboda haka, tsafta da rigakafi su ne muhimman hanyoyi na kariya.

Tarihin Hepatitis A

An yi zaton cewa cututtukan da suka yi kama da Hepatitis A sun fara bayyana tun ƙarnoni da dama da suka gabata. Masanin likitanci mai suna Hippocrates ya ambaci wasu bayyanai game da abin da ke yaɗuwa (jaundice) a cikin littafinsa De Morbis Internis, wato wani irin nau’in cututtuka da suka shafi hanta.

A cikin ƙarni na 17 da 18, an samu rahotannin ɓarkewar “jaundice” a lokacin yaƙi, inda sojojin suka kamu da nau’ikan zazzaɓi da amai, alamu da suka yi kama da abin da a yanzu ake cewa Hepatitis A. Amma ba a san ainihin abin da ya haddasa wannan zazzabi/jaundice ba har zuwa tsakiyar ƙarni na 20. A lokacin yaƙin duniya na biyu (World War II), an fara bambance cututtuka daban‑daban na ƙwayoyin hepatitis (hanta), musamman lokacin da aka gano cewa wasu cututtukan hanta ba su fito daga jini ba (wato ba serum hepatitis ba ne), sai aka fara kiran su “infectious hepatitis” ko “epidemic jaundice”.

Bincike da nazarin ƙwayoyin cuta a jinin majinyata bai tabbatar da ƙwayar cutar nan ba; don haka masana sun karkata akalar bincike wajen duba najasa, domin tunanin cewa ƙwayar na fitowa ne ta hanji ko bayan gida. Wannan canjin tunani ne ya kai ga gano ƙwayar da ake kira Hepatitis A virus (HAV). A shekara ta 1973, wani rukunin masu bincike,  ciki har da Stephen Feinstone; Albert Kapikian da Robert Purcell, sun tabbatar da HAV a matsayin sanadin “infectious hepatitis”, ta hanyar amfani da electron microscopy da sauran dabaru na zamani don nuna ƙwayar a najasar majinyata.

Bayan gano HAV, masana suka fara ƙera gwaje‑gwaje (serologic tests) da za su gano antibodies ko antigens na virus ɗin domin tantance ko mutum ya kamu da cutar. Wannan ya ba da damar rarrabewa tsakanin Hepatitis A da sauran nau’ukan hepatitis, musamman serum/viral hepatitis irin su Hepatitis B. Ci gaban bincike ya kai ga haɓaka rigakafin Hepatitis A. An fara gwaje‑gwajen rigakafi (killed virus vaccine) tun daga ƙarshen 1970s da farkon 1980s; sannan a shekarar 1990s rigakafin ya samu izinin amfani a matsayin kariya ga mutane.

A yanzu, duniya ta san Hepatitis A a matsayin cuta mai yaɗuwa ta hanyar abinci ko ruwa da suka gurɓace da najasa, kuma ana amfani da rigakafi da matakan tsafta wajen kare jama’a. Hukumar World Health Organization (WHO) ta tanadar da bayanai da shawarwari don hana yaɗuwar cutar.

Hanyoyin yaɗuwar Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A na yaduwa ne ta hanyar faecal‑oral route, wato ɗaukar ƙwayar cutar ta hannaye ko cikin abinci/ruwa da suka gurɓace da najasa. Wasu daga cikin hanyoyin yaɗuwar sun haɗa da:

• Gurɓataccen abinci: Shan ruwa ko cin abinci da aka gurɓata da najasa, musamman a wuraren da ruwan sha ba shi da tsafta. Wannan yana faruwa ne a wuraren da ba a kula da tsaftar abinci da ruwa, inda ƙwayar cutar ke shiga cikin abinci ko ruwa ta hanyar najasa.
• Rashin tsaftar hannu: Rashin wanke hannu da kyau bayan zuwa bayan gida ko bayan hulɗa da yara masu cutar. Wannan na nufin cewa idan mutum bai wanke hannunsa da kyau ba bayan amfani da bayan gida, yana iya ɗaukar ƙwayar cutar daga hannaye zuwa baki ko abinci.
• Cuɗanya da mai cutar: Hulɗa kai tsaye da majinyatan da ke fitar da ƙwayar cutar ta cikin fitsari ko najasa. Wannan yana iya faruwa a lokacin da ake kula da majinyata ko a wuraren da ake taron jama’a, inda ƙwayar cutar ke yaɗuwa cikin sauƙi.
• Girkin mai ɗauke da cutar: Abinci da kayan girki da masu ɗauke da cutar suka sarrafa ba tare da tsafta ba. Idan wanda ke da cutar ya shirya abinci ba tare da tsaftar hannu da muhalli ba, yana iya gurɓata abincin da ƙwayar cutar.
• Cunkoso: A wasu lokuta, yaɗuwar na iya kasancewa a wuraren da mutane suka yi cunkoso, irin su makarantu, gidajen gyaran yara, sansanonin soja, ko wuraren taron jama’a. A irin waɗannan wurare, yaɗuwar cutar na iya zama mai sauri saboda cunkoson mutane da rashin tsafta.

Hepatitis A ba ta yaduwa ta hanyar jini ko tsokar jiki, kamar yadda ake samu da Hepatitis B da C. Wannan na nufin cewa cutar ba ta wucewa ta hanyar jini ko hulɗar jiki kai tsaye ba, sai dai ta hanyoyin da aka ambata a sama.

Alamomin cutar Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A tana da ɓoyayyen lokacin da alamomi ke ɗauka kafin su bayyana (incubation period), wanda ke ɗaukar kwanaki 15–50 bayan kamuwa da cutar. A wannan lokacin, mutum na iya kasancewa da ƙwayar cutar a jikinsa ba tare da nuna watmsu alamomi ba. Wasu mutane, musamman yara ƙanana, ba sa nuna alamomi ko kuma alamominsu suna da sauƙi sosai. Ga waɗanda ke nuna alamomin cutar, sukan haɗa da:

• Zazzabi mai zafi, yakan fara kaɗan kafin ya yi tsanani.
• Jin gajiya da rashin ƙarfi, mutum yakan ji rashin ƙarfi sosai da gajiya har ya kasa gudanar da ayyukansa na yau da kullum.
• Rashin cin abinci, wato ƙarancin sha’awar cin abinci wanda kan iya haifar da raguwar nauyi.
• Ciwon ciki da ciwon huhu (abdominal pain), musamman a gefen dama na sama inda hanta take.
• Tashin zuciya da amai, yawan amai da rashin jin daɗin ciki.
• Launin fata da ido, fatar mutum da farin idonsa sukan ɗan yi launin rawaya saboda tasirin cutar a hanta.
• Fitsari mai duhu da bayan gida mai haske, wato fitsarin mutum na yin duhu, yayin da bayan gida ke yin launi mai haske ko fari.
• Ciwon jiki da kai, tana haddasa ciwo a jiki da kai wanda ke sa jin rashin daɗi da gajiya.

Alamomin sukan ɗauki kimanin makonni 2 zuwa 6, bayan haka mafi yawan mutane suna warkewa gabaɗaya. A mafi yawan lokuta, cutar ba ta barin lahani na dogon lokaci, musamman ga yara da manya masu ƙoshin lafiya.

Illolin Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A tana ɗaya daga cikin cututtukan hanta da ke warkewa da kansu a mafi yawan mutane, ba tare da haifar da matsala mai tsanani ba. Amma duk da haka, wasu mutane na iya fuskantar illoli masu haɗari, musamman:

• Tsoffi: Mutanen da suka haura shekaru 50 ko 60, musamman masu rashin ƙoshin lafiya ko matsalar hanta, na iya kamuwa da fulminant hepatitis (lalacewar hanta), wanda zai iya zama mai haɗari ga rayuwa.
• Masu matsalar hanta: Wadanda suke da ciwon hanta na dogon lokaci ko sauran cututtuka masu shafar hanta, cutar na iya kara tsanani kuma ta jawo matsaloli.

Maganin Hepatitis A

WHO da CDC duk sun bayyana cewa babu wani maganin da ke kashe ƙwayar cutar Hepatitis A ɗin kai tsaye (antiviral) da yake da tasiri. Don haka, kulawar da ake ba marasa lafiya yawanci ita ce taimaka wa jiki da jinyar alamomin cutar, babban burin shi ne hanta ta warke ta dawo lafiya.  Abubuwan da ake yi sun haɗa da magani da kulawa kamar haka:

• Shan ruwa mai yawa da tsafta, musamman idan akwai amai ko gudawa, domin daƙile ƙarancin ruwa a jiki (dehydration).
• Samun hutu da rage wahala, a ba jiki lokaci ya huta.
• Cin abinci mai sauƙin narkewa da guje wa abubuwan da ke wahalar da hanta (misali rage amfani da magunguna marasa muhimmanci da ke da illa ga hanta, kamar paracetamol) idan ba lallai ba.
• A lokuta masu tsanani, idan akwai “acute liver failure” (wato hanta na da tsanani), ana bukatar ƙarin kulawa ta asibiti.

Rigakafin Hepatitis A

Rigakafi ita ce hanya mafi inganci domin daƙile Hepatitis A; kuma akwai allurar rigakafi ta musamman  da kuma wasu matakan tsafta da muhalli da WHO da CDC suka ba da shawarar bi.

Allurar rigakafi (Hepatitis A vaccine): WHO ta tabbatar da cewa akwai “safe and effective” vaccine don Hepatitis A. Allurar vaccine tana ba da kariya mai ɗorewa. Bayan mutum ya kamu da cutar ko ya karɓi allurar rigakafi, yawanci zai samu kariya har tsawon rayuwa daga sake kamuwa.

Jadawalin rigakafin ya kasu kashi biyu; yawanci ana ba yara a lokacin suna tsakanin watanni 12 zuwa 23, sannan kuma akwai “catch‑up” (ga waɗanda ba a rigaya an yi musu rigakafin ba) kamar yara da matasa, da kuma manya da suke cikin haɗarin kamuwa.

Baya ga rigakafi, tsaftar ruwa da abinci, tsaftace muhalli, da wanke hannu da kyau, musamman kafin cin abinci ko bayan zuwa bayan gida su ne manyan matakan kariya. A wasu lokuta, idan mutum ya kasance cikin haɗarin kamuwa ko zai yi tafiya zuwa ƙasar da cutar ta yaɗu sosai, ana ba da shawarar a tabbatar an yi rigakafi kafin tafiyar.

Dalilan da suka fi ƙarfafa amfani da rigakafi da tsafta

WHO ta bayyana cewa Hepatitis A ta fi yaɗuwa a ƙasashe masu matsalar ruwa mai tsafta, rashin kyakkyawan tsarin sarrafa ruwa da najasa (sanitation), da inda mutane ke da ƙarancin tsafta.

Saboda haka, rigakafi; idan an haɗa shi da inganta ruwa, tsafta, da tsarin ban ruwa, zai iya rage yaɗuwar cutar ƙwarai da gaske, musamman a ƙasashe kamar Najeriya inda irin waɗannan matsaloli ke da yawa.

Hepatitis A a Najeriya

Hepatitis A cuta ce ta hanta, wadda ƙwayar cutar Hepatitis A virus (HAV) ke haifarwa, kuma hanyar yaduwarta ita ce ta abinci/ruwa ko ruwa da ya gurɓace da najasa. Wannan yana sa ƙasashe da ke da matsalolin tsafta, ruwan sha marar kyau, da rashin kyawun magudanan ruwa/najas suka kasance cikin haɗari. Wannan halin ya shafi yawancin sassan Najeriya. A hukumance, Hukumar Lafiya ta Duniya, World Health Organization (WHO) da wasu hukumomi da ke aiki da ita sun jaddada cewa tsafta, abinci/ruwa mai tsabta, da rigakafi (inda akwai) su ne muhimman matakan kariya.

Yaduwar Hepatitis A a Najeriya

A Najeriya, Hepatitis A tana yaɗuwa sosai a yankunan da ake da matsalar tsaftar muhalli da ruwan sha mai kyau. Binciken kimiyya da rahotanni daga WHO da cibiyoyin kiwon lafiya na Najeriya sun nuna cewa:

• Cututtukan Hepatitis A sun fi yawa a yankunan karkara da birane marasa tsafta.
• Yawanci yara da matasa ne ke kamuwa da cutar, saboda rashin isasshen rigakafi da kula tsafta.
• A wasu binciken serological, kusan kashi 70–90% na yara a Najeriya sun nuna alamomin samun antibodies na Hepatitis A kafin su kai shekara 10, wanda ke nuni da cewa cutar tana yaɗuwa sosai a farkon shekaru.
• A wani bincike a cikin yara da matasa a jihar Kaduna (shekarar 2009), daga samfurin 403, an sami seroprevalence na ≈ 7.2 %.
• A wani bincike a wasu yankuna (rural) da aka yi nazari a matsayin “rural communities” an samu seroprevalence har zuwa ≈ 55.2 %.

Wannan bambancin tsakanin jihohi da yankuna (Rivers, Kaduna, da wasu ƙauyuka) na nuna cewa HAV tana yaɗuwa; amma yawan kamuwa na iya bambanta sosai da yanayin tsafta, ruwa, da sauran abubuwa na muhalli.

Rashin isasshen ruwa mai tsafta, rashin amfani da banɗakuna masu kyau, da rashin tsaftar abinci da hannaye su ne manyan abubuwan da ke haifar da yaɗuwar cutar.

Shawarwarin NCDC da WHO

• Hukumar NCDC da WHO suna ba da shawarwari ga gwamnati da al’umma kan:
• Inganta tsarin ruwan sha da tsaftar muhalli.
• Wayar da kan jama’a kan wanke hannu da tsaftar abinci.
• Shigar da rigakafin Hepatitis A a tsarin rigakafin yara a wasu yankuna masu haɗari.

Hepatitis A a Najeriya wata cuta ce da take wanzuwa, ba ta tayar da hankali kamar hepatitis B da C. Amma tana cikin waɗanda cututtukan da ba a fiye kulawa da su ba, saboda ƙarancin nazari da rashin tsarin kula da cututtuka. Duk da ƙarancin bayanai, akwai shaida a wasu jihohi cewa yaɗuwar HAV na faruwa, musamman ga yara ƙanana, wanda hakan ke nuna cewa lallai cutar ba abin watsi ba ce.

Manazarta

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, August 29). Hepatitis A Basics.

Federal Ministry of Health (Nigeria). (2021). National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme – Strategic Plan on Hepatitis. 

Okonko, I. O., Adim, C. C., Okonko, B. J., & Mba, E. I. (2023). Semi‑Quantitative Analysis and Serological Evidence of Hepatitis A Virus IgG Antibody among Children in Rumuewhor, Emuoha, Rivers State, Nigeria. arXiv.

World Health Organization. (2025, February 12). Hepatitis A – fact sheet. WHO.

WHO Regional Office for Africa. (2025, July 31). Nigeria takes bold steps toward hepatitis‑free future with WHO’s support. WHO Regional Office for Africa.

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