Hepatitis A

Alternative names

Viral hepatitis

Definition

Hepatitis A is an inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Hepatitis A is transmitted by contaminated food or water, or contact with a person who is currently ill with the disease. The hepatitis A virus is shed in the stools of an infected person during the incubation period of 15 to 45 days before symptoms occur and during the first week of illness. Blood and other bodily secretions may also be infectious.

The virus does not remain in the body after the infection has resolved, and there is no carrier state (a person or animal who spreads the disease to others but does not become ill).

The symptoms associated with hepatitis A are similar to the flu, but the skin and eyes may become yellow (jaundiced). This is because the liver is not able to filter bilirubin from the blood. There are approximately 100,000 total infections in the U.S. every year.

Risk factors include living in a nursing home or rehabilitation center, having a family member who recently had hepatitis A, intravenous drug use, and recent travel to - or immigration from - Asia, or South or Central America.

Other common hepatitis virus infections include hepatitis B and hepatitis C, but hepatitis A is the least serious and most mild of these diseases. Both of the others may become chronic illnesses, but hepatitis A does not.

Symptoms

• Jaundice
  
• Fatigue
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Nausea and vomiting
  
• Low-grade fever
  
• Pale or clay-colored stools
  
• Dark urine
  
• Generalized itching
  

Signs and tests

The doctor will perform a physical examination and may discover that you have an enlarged and tender liver.

Hepatitis serology tests may show:

• IgM and IgG antibodies to hepatitis A (IgM is usually positive before IgG)
  
• Elevated liver enzymes (liver function tests)
  

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Rest is recommended during the acute phase of the disease when the symptoms are most severe. People with acute hepatitis should avoid alcohol and any substances that are toxic to the liver, including acetominophen (Tylenol).