Hepatitis A - Vaccination

Vaccination-Hepatitis A

Contents

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. Causes
4. Treatment
5. Vaccination

Vaccination against hepatitis A is not routinely offered in the UK because the risk of infection is low for most people. It's only recommended for people at high risk.

Who should have the hepatitis A vaccine

People usually advised to have the hepatitis A vaccine include:

• close contacts of someone with hepatitis A
• people planning to travel to or live in parts of the world where hepatitis A is widespread, particularly if sanitation and food hygiene are expected to be poor
• people with any type of long-term liver disease
• men who have sex with other men
• people who inject illegal drugs
• people who may be exposed to hepatitis A through their job – this includes sewage workers, people who work for organisations where levels of personal hygiene may be poor, such as a homeless shelter, and people working with monkeys, apes and gorillas

Contact your GP surgery if you think you should have the hepatitis A vaccine or you're not sure whether you need it.

Hepatitis A - Treatment

Treatment-Hepatitis A

Contents

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. Causes
4. Treatment
5. Vaccination

There's currently no cure for hepatitis A, but it normally gets better on its own within a couple of months. You can usually look after yourself at home.

But it's still a good idea to see your GP for a blood test if you think you could have hepatitis A, as more serious conditions can have similar symptoms.

Your GP can also advise you about treatments. They may carry out regular blood tests to check how well your liver is working.

Go back to your GP if your symptoms get worse or have not started to improve within a couple of months.

Hepatitis A - Causes

Causes-Hepatitis A

Contents

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. Causes
4. Treatment
5. Vaccination

Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus, which is spread in the poo of someone with the infection.

Most infections occur in parts of the world where sanitation and food hygiene standards are poor, although there's a small risk of becoming infected in the UK.

How hepatitis A is spread

You can get hepatitis A from:

• eating food prepared by someone with the infection who has not washed their hands properly, or who's washed them in water contaminated with sewage
• drinking contaminated water, including ice cubes
• eating raw or undercooked shellfish from contaminated water
• close contact with someone who has hepatitis A
• having sex with someone who has the infection, particularly if you touch their anus with your fingers, mouth or tongue
• injecting drugs using equipment contaminated with the hepatitis A virus

Hepatitis A - Symptoms

Symptoms-Hepatitis A

Contents

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. Causes
4. Treatment
5. Vaccination

The symptoms of hepatitis A develop, on average, around 4 weeks after becoming infected. But not everyone with the infection has symptoms.

See your GP if you think you could have been infected with the virus.

A blood test will be needed to rule out more serious conditions that have similar symptoms.

Initial symptoms

The initial symptoms of hepatitis A can include:

• feeling tired and generally unwell
• joint and muscle pain
• a raised temperature
• loss of appetite
• feeling or being sick
• pain in the upper right part of your tummy
• a headache, sore throat and cough
• constipation or diarrhoea
• a raised, itchy rash (hives)

These symptoms usually last from a few days up to a couple of weeks.

Hepatitis A - Overview

Overview-Hepatitis A

Contents

1. Overview
2. Symptoms
3. Causes
4. Treatment
5. Vaccination

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus that's spread in the poo of an infected person.

It's uncommon in the UK, but certain groups are at increased risk. This includes travellers to parts of the world with poor levels of sanitation, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs.

Hepatitis A can be unpleasant, but it's not usually serious and most people make a full recovery within a couple of months.

Some people, particularly young children, may not have any symptoms.

But hepatitis A can occasionally last for many months and, in rare cases, it can be life threatening if it causes the liver to stop working properly (liver failure).

A hepatitis A vaccine is available for people at high risk of infection.