What is hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that is rare in Australia. Most infections are caused from consuming contaminated food or water.

The illness usually lasts a few weeks, and most people make a full recovery. Hepatitis A does not cause chronic (long-term) hepatitis.

Exposure to hepatitis A gives life-long protection from further infections.

There are other types of hepatitis.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis A?

Symptoms usually start about 4 weeks after you catch the virus.

People who do have symptoms may have:

• fatigue (tiredness)
• fever and muscle/joint pains
• nausea or vomiting and loss of appetite
• abdominal (tummy) pain
• dark urine (wee)
• clay-coloured poo
• jaundice — a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes

The illness is usually mild and can last between 1 and 3 weeks.

Young children who become infected with hepatitis A often have no symptoms.

What causes hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV).

You can get the hepatitis A virus from:

• eating contaminated raw, frozen or undercooked food
• drinking contaminated water or ice
• person-to-person contact — including sexual contact
• touching dirty nappies, linen or towels

Most people get hepatitis A when travelling overseas.

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor if you have symptoms of hepatitis A and:

• your job increases your chance of infection
• you're a male who has sex with males
• you've recently travelled to a country where hepatitis A is common
• you've recently been in close contact with someone with hepatitis A
• you have a blood clotting disorder, such as haemophilia
• you've shared needles when taking drugs

How is hepatitis A diagnosed?

Your doctor will organise a blood test to see if you have hepatitis A.

Hepatitis A is a notifiable disease. This means that if you have hepatitis A, the lab must tell the local public health authority. They may ask to talk with you to try and find out where you caught the infection.

How is hepatitis A treated?

There is no medicine to treat hepatitis A. But there are things you can do to help with the symptoms. Your doctor may suggest that you:

• rest
• drink plenty of fluids
• eat a healthy diet

To protect your liver, you should not drink any alcohol while you have hepatitis.

How can I avoid infecting others?

If you have hepatitis A, you are infectious and can spread the illness. This infectious period lasts from about 2 weeks before the symptoms appear to a week or so after having jaundice. If you don't get jaundice, you can be infectious for 2 weeks after getting symptoms.

If you have hepatitis A, take care not to spread the infection to other people by:

• washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water and drying them on a clean towel
• not preparing food or drinks for other people
• not sharing eating and drinking utensils and washing them after use in soapy water
• not sharing linen and towels — machine washing them after use
• not having sex

Talk with your doctor before returning to work or school.

If you live with someone with hepatitis A, your doctor may give you a vaccination or an immunoglobulin injection. This can stop you getting ill, if given within 2 weeks of contact with the infectious person.

What are the complications of hepatitis A?

Liver failure is a rare complication of hepatitis A. It's more likely in older adults and people with chronic liver disease.

Can hepatitis A be prevented?

The hepatitis A virus can live on your hands for up to 4 hours. It can last on food kept at room temperature for much longer.

To prevent hepatitis A, always wash your hands:

• after going to the toilet
• before eating
• before making food or drink
• after touching anything with body fluids — such as nappies and condoms

Practising safe sex will also help prevent catching the disease.

You can also be vaccinated against hepatitis A. Your doctor may suggest you are vaccinated if you're planning to visit a region where hepatitis A is common.

Hepatitis A outbreaks due to imported frozen fruit

In Australia, there have been outbreaks of hepatitis A caused by people eating frozen berries that have been imported. When this happens:

• the frozen berries are recalled
• the Australian Government Department of Health issues a health alert

Cooking these products gets rid of the risk of hepatitis A and other potential foodborne infections.

Hepatitis A vaccine

Vaccination is your best protection against hepatitis A. This table explains how the vaccine is given and who is covered by the National Immunisation Program Schedule.

Resources and support

The National Hepatitis Infoline can help you find free hepatitis information and local support services. Call them on 1800 437 222.

To learn more about hepatitis A in languages other than English, visit the Health Translations website.

If you need to know more about hepatitis A you can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.