Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. It leads to inflammation (swelling) of the liver.
Some people with hepatitis A do not have any symptoms. Others have flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, abdominal pains or jaundice (see Symptoms of hepatitis A for more information).
Hepatitis A is the most common type of viral hepatitis.
Who is affected by hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is not very common in the UK. It is more common in countries where sanitation and sewage disposal are poor, particularly countries in Africa, northern and southern Asia, central America and southern and eastern Europe.
Vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended if you are travelling to countries in these areas.
Hepatitis A can occur at any age but mostly affects children and young adults.
How do you catch hepatitis A?
The hepatitis A infection is usually caught by putting something in your mouth that has been contaminated with the stools (faeces) of someone with hepatitis A.
The incubation period (the time from coming into contact with the virus to developing the infection) is approximately two to six weeks.
Outlook
Hepatitis A is usually an acute (short-term) infection. Many people recover within a couple of months without treatment. Though the symptoms can be unpleasant, hepatitis A is rarely serious.
Once you have recovered from hepatitis A, you are immune from it and can never catch the infection again.
Hepatitis A is a notifiable condition. This means that when the condition is diagnosed, the doctor making the diagnosis must inform the local authority.
