Hepatitis A is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation and damage. It is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is found in the stool and blood of infected people. The virus is primarily spread when an uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person. Hepatitis A is highly contagious and can live for months in the environment without a host.
Symptoms of hepatitis A can last up to 2 months and include fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, and jaundice. However, some people infected with hepatitis A have no symptoms, including many children younger than age 6. Older children and adults are more likely to have symptoms.
Unlike other types of viral hepatitis, hepatitis A does not cause long-term liver damage, and it doesnt become an ongoing (chronic) condition. Most people with hepatitis A do not have long-lasting illness, and the infection usually goes away by itself without treatment after a few weeks. However, in rare cases, hepatitis A can be severe and lead to liver failure and the need for an emergency liver transplant to survive.
The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to get vaccinated. Other preventive measures include washing hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, before eating or preparing food, and after changing a diaper. People who are at higher risk of getting hepatitis A include those who travel or work in areas of the world where hepatitis A is common, live with another person who has hepatitis A, are a man who has sexual contact with other men, have any type of sexual contact with someone who has hepatitis A, are HIV positive, are homeless, or use any type of recreational drugs, not just those that are injected.
