Avoid contact with blood or blood products whenever possible. Wash hands thoroughly or clean up extensively after using the restroom if there is contact with anyone's blood, feces, or body fluids. Hepatitis B vaccine is available for people in high-risk groups. Hepatitis A vaccine is available for people in high risk professions like nursery attendants, institutional care workers, nurses, physicians, and people traveling to undeveloped countries. Avoid IV drug use.
Treatment varies with the specific type of hepatitis.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms indicate you may have hepatitis. Hepatitis A is called infectious hepatitis and is spread by fecal contamination. The virus appears in the stool of infected individuals and is spread when hygiene practices are inadequate. This photograph is an electronmicroscopic image of hepatitis A virus particles. Hepatitis B is also known as serum hepatitis and is spread through blood and sexual contact.