Hepatitis A is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver.
Most people get the disease by the fecal-oral route.
That means you get it by eating foods contaminated with feces from an infected person. You can also become infected by sexual contact with an infected person. Improper disposal of sewage, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions promote the spread of the virus. Hepatitis A ranges from a relatively mild ailment lasting 1 or 2 weeks, to a severe, disabling illness lasting for several weeks or more. The symptoms include the abrupt onset of fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, headache, fatigue, and vomiting.