A Food or water contaminated by human excrement. Poor personal hygiene. Weakness, headache, fever, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, diarrhea, darkened urine, yellowing of the skin and eyes. Rarely fatal, but may cause weeks of disabling illness.
Most people recover fully and develop immunity.
One injection of immune globulin safeguards against hepatitis A for up to four months. A prompt injection after exposure may prevent it from developing. B Blood contact, sexual intercourse, contaminated needles and mother to fetus. No symptoms for half the infected. 1.2 million Americans are infected.