What I need to know

about Hepatitis A about Hepatitis A

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

U.S. Department

of Health and

Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

What I need to know

about Hepatitis A
16

Contents

What is hepatitis A? .............................................. 1

What causes hepatitis A? ..................................... 1

How could I get hepatitis A?................................ 2

Who can get hepatitis A? ..................................... 3

What are the symptoms? ...................................... 4

How is hepatitis A treated? .................................. 5

How can I protect myself? .................................... 6

For More Information .......................................... 8

More in the Series ................................................. 9

Acknowledgments................................................. 10
1

What is hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a liver disease.

Hepatitis (HEP-ah-TY-tis)

makes your liver swell and

stops it from working right.

You need a healthy liver.

The liver does many

things to keep you

alive. The liver fights

infections and stops

bleeding. It removes

drugs and other poisons

from your blood. The

liver also stores energy

for when you need it.

What causes hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is caused by a virus.

A virus is a germ that causes sickness. (For

example, the flu is caused by a virus.) People can

pass viruses to each other. The virus that causes

hepatitis A is called the hepatitis A virus.

Liver
2

How could I get hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is spread by close personal contact

with someone else who has the infection.

You could get hepatitis A by

● eating food that has been prepared by

someone with hepatitis A

● drinking water that has been contaminated by

hepatitis A (in parts of the world with poor

hygiene and sanitary conditions)

Wash your hands before fixing or eating food.
3

Who can get hepatitis A?

Anyone can get hepatitis A.

But some people are more likely to than others:

● people who live with someone who has

hepatitis A

● children who go to day care

● people who work in a day care center

● men who have sex with men

● people who travel to other countries where

hepatitis A is common

Children in day care could get hepatitis A.
4

What are the symptoms?

Hepatitis A can make you feel like

you have the flu.

You might

● feel tired

● feel sick to your stomach

● have a fever

● not want to eat

● have stomach pain

● have diarrhea

Some people have

● dark yellow urine

● light-colored stools

● yellowish eyes and skin

Some people don’t have any symptoms.

If you have symptoms or think you might have

hepatitis A, go to a doctor. The doctor will test

your blood.
5

How is hepatitis A treated?

Most people who have hepatitis A get well on

their own after a few weeks.

You may need to rest in bed for several days or

weeks, and you won’t be able to drink alcohol until

you are well. The doctor may give you medicine

for your symptoms.

Bed rest and medicine will help you get better.
6

How can I protect myself?

You can get the hepatitis A vaccine.

A vaccine is a drug that you take when you are

healthy that keeps you from getting sick. Vaccines

teach your body to attack certain viruses, like the

hepatitis A virus.

The hepatitis A vaccine is given through a shot.

Children can get the vaccine after they turn 2 years

old. Children aged 2 to 18 will need three shots.

The shots are spread out over a year. Adults get

two or three shots over 6 to 12 months.

You need all of the shots to be protected. If you

are traveling to other countries, make sure you get

all the shots before you go. If you miss a shot, call

your doctor or clinic right away to set up a new

appointment.

Vaccines protect you from getting hepatitis A.
7

You can protect yourself and others from

hepatitis A in these ways, too:

● Always wash your hands after using the toilet

and before fixing food or eating.

● Wear gloves if you have to touch other

people’s stool. Wash your hands afterward.

● Drink bottled water when you are in another

country. (And don’t use ice cubes or wash

fruits and vegetables in tap water.)

Wash your hands to protect yourself.
8

For More Information

You can also get information about hepatitis A

from these groups:

American Liver Foundation (ALF)

75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603

New York, NY 10038–4810

Phone: 1–800–GO–LIVER (465–4837),

1–888–4HEP–USA (443–7872),

or (212) 668–1000

Fax: (212) 483–8179

Email: info@liverfoundation.org

Internet: www.liverfoundation.org

Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI)

504 Blick Drive

Silver Spring, MD 20904-2901

Phone: 1–800–891–0707 or (301) 622–4200

Fax: (301) 622–4702

Email: hfi@comcast.net

Internet: www.hepfi.org
9

More in the Series

There are other types of hepatitis. The National

Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse also

has booklets about hepatitis B and hepatitis C:

● What I need to know about Hepatitis B

● What I need to know about Hepatitis C

You can get a free copy of each of these booklets

by calling 1–800–891–5389 or (301) 654–3810, or by

writing to

NDDIC

2 Information Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3570

Hepatitis information for health professionals is

also available.
10

Acknowledgments

The individuals listed here provided editorial

guidance or facilitated field testing for this

publication. The National Digestive Diseases

Information Clearinghouse would like to thank

them for their contribution.

Bruce Bacon, M.D.

Chair, Education

Committee

American Liver

Foundation

New York, NY

Luby GarzaAbijaoude,

M.S., R.D., L.D.

Texas Department

of Health

Austin, TX

Thelma Thiel,

R.N., B.A.

Hepatitis Foundation

International

Cedar Grove, NJ
11

National Digestive Diseases

Information Clearinghouse

2 Information Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3570

Phone: 1–800–891–5389 or (301) 654–3810

Fax: (301) 907–8906

Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

(NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes

and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK

is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services. Established in

1980, the clearinghouse provides information about digestive

diseases to people with digestive disorders and to their

families, health care professionals, and the public. NDDIC

answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and

works closely with professional and patient organizations and

Government agencies to coordinate resources about digestive

diseases.

Publications produced by the clearinghouse are carefully

reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.

This publication is not copyrighted. The clearinghouse

encourages users of this booklet to duplicate and distribute

as many copies as desired.

This booklet is also available at www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Institute of Diabetes and

Digestive and Kidney Diseases

NIH Publication No. 04–4244

December 2003