Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. Symptoms Symptoms usually begin 2 to 6 weeks after exposure to the virus and last 1 to 2 weeks. Persons can have all or only a few of these symptoms.
Most young children have only a mild flu-like illness without jaundice, or no symptoms at all.
The virus leaves in the stool and enters another person when hands, food, or objects contaminated with the stool are put in the mouth. Water or shellfish contaminated with the virus. A person is most contagious during the 2 weeks before the illness symptoms begin. People can spread hepatitis A virus to others before they develop symptoms. Hepatitis A is not spread by kissing, sneezing, or by saliva.