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Hepatitis A – Basics

Key facts

Hepatitis A does NOT cause long-term liver disease and deaths caused by hepatitis A are rare. People with hepatitis A can pass on the virus to others from two weeks before symptoms develop until one week after symptoms appear. It is spread when microscopic amounts of faeces infected with hepatitis A get into your mouth. You will be most infectious before symptoms show.

Hepatitis A is usually the least serious of the three common types of hepatitis (A, B and C), but it can make you very ill. It is easy to pick up and there are outbreaks from time to time particularly among gay men. People travelling in countries where hygiene is poor are also at risk. Therefore basic hygiene and hand washing are important.

Once you have had hepatitis A you will be immune and can not get hepatitis A again.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can be mild and you may not realise that you have hepatitis A. Up to 6 weeks after being infected you may feel flu-like symptoms.

You can also:

Have a fever or diarrhoea
Feel sick and very tired
Lose weight
Feel pain in the stomach
Experience nausea when faced with tobacco smoke, fatty food and alcohol
Have itchy skin

You many also get jaundice, which means:

The whites of the eyes turn yellow
Faeces goes a pale colour
Urine is dark-coloured

Illness usually lasts ten to fourteen days (although some symptoms can last longer) and is almost always followed by complete recovery. Hepatitis A does NOT cause long-term liver disease and deaths from hepatitis A are rare.

How is it diagnosed?

A doctor makes a diagnosis of hepatitis A based on symptoms and a blood test.

How is it treated?

The treatment for hepatitis A is plenty of rest. This may mean many weeks at home away from work. Your doctor will tell you how long you should avoid drinking alcohol while your liver recovers and you will need to avoid recreational drugs that can also stress the liver. A blood test will show when you have fully recovered.

What about complementary therapies?

People with hepatitis A may consider using complementary therapies either as a treatment for their liver or to help relieve symptoms.

It is important to be cautious about the use of complementary and herbal treatments for hepatitis as they can involve risks. Always inform your HIV/hepatitis doctor and pharmacist about any other complementary or herbal treatment you may be taking.

If you do seek treatment from a complementary therapist you are advised to:

Make sure the therapist has experience working with hepatitis and HIV;
Ensure they are properly qualified and belong to a recognised professional organisation;
Ask how much the treatment will cost;
Ask how they have measured the health outcomes of their therapy;
Find doctors and complementary health practitioners who will work together.

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