Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. Unlike the other common forms of hepatitis (hepatitis B and C), it does not cause chronic (long-term) liver disease.

When a person has hepatitis A, the virus stays in their feces. Hepatitis A is usually spread by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with infected feces.^[1] For example, hepatitis A can be spread by:^[1]

• Using ice that was made from contaminated water
• Eating fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are not cooked, which may have gotten contaminated when a person with hepatitis A prepared them
  • Foods that are not cooked are more likely to spread hepatitis A because cooking food will kill the virus
• Eating shellfish that lived in contaminated water, and were not cooked well enough to kill the virus

Hepatitis A can also be spread by having sex with someone who has hepatitis A.^[1]

• Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Anorexia (loss of the desire to eat)^[2]

There is no medication that can cure hepatitis A. In most cases, the infection resolves on its own. In most cases, symptoms last less than 2 months, although some people are sick for as long as six months.^[1]

Unfortunately, a small number of patients develop Fulminant hepatic failure, which is very serious.

A vaccine is available to prevent hepatitis A, and anti-hepatitis A immunoglobulin is also used.^[2]

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