Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, light-colored bowel movements). Most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms.
Symptoms of hepatitis usually show about four weeks after contact with the virus. Sometimes symptoms will appear between two and seven weeks.
Hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. It is a vaccine-preventable illness. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
The hepatitis A virus is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infectious person.
The risk of hepatitis A infection is associated with a lack of safe water and poor sanitation and hygiene (such as contaminated and dirty hands).
Contamination of food with the hepatitis A virus can happen at any point: growing, harvesting, processing, handling, and even after cooking.
To reduce the risk of exposure to Hepatitis A:
*Wash hands thoroughly before eating
*Everyone should always wash their hands thoroughly before preparing food or drink
*Avoid eating foods that may be contaminated with Hepatitis A virus such as raw oysters and raw shellfish.
What is Hepatitis A?
