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In brief...

Hepatitis A and Hepatitis A Virus, HAV, is a viral infection of the liver. It usually caught in circumstances where there is social overcrowding and is not very common in the UK. Children are often affected. Gay men are also at risk. HAV is often caught from contaminated food but can can be caught from contact between the mouth and anus. It is easy for us to test for this infection and it never causes long-term liver damage. You can be vaccinated to protect you against this virus which is particularly useful when you are travelling to some countries.

 

 

 

What are the symptoms?

You can be infected with HAV and have no symptoms. You might have a short, flu-like illness, including tiredness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, jaundice and itchy skin. These are symptoms of the liver being infected and are similar for most types of hepatitis. Most people get a mild infection which cures itself with time. Unlike other types of hepatitis there is no carrier state (i.e, people don’t get a prolonged infection) for HAV.

 

 

 

How did I get it?

HAV is usually caught from contaminated food, especially shellfish, or contaminated water. It can also be caught during sexual contact with an infected person, the virus is found in faeces (poo) and can be passed on to you even if a small amount of the virus comes into contact with your mouth.

 

 

 

How do I avoid the HAV?

You can prevent the spread of the HAV by being very careful that you and the people who prepare your food wash hands properly after going to the toilet. Occasionally, in the UK, we get outbreaks of HAV following the large-scale preparation of infected food.

 

 

 

When am I infectious?

You are most infectious before you get any symptoms, but you can stay infectious for a few days after the symptoms appear.

 

 

 

When should I have a vaccine against it and how long does it last for?

If you are about to travel abroad and might be at risk from hepatitis, you might be advised to have a vaccine to protect against it. One injection of hepatitis A vaccine, in the arm, will protect you from getting HAV for one year. If you have a second 'booster injection' at 12 months it will protect you for up to 10 years.

 

 

 

When should I have immunoglobulin against it?

If you have been in recent contact with someone who has hepatitis A and you are in a high risk group you might be advised to have an injection of immunoglobulin. This is a preparation of antibodies to the virus and will protect you for only a short period. We usually advise this for the elderly, very close contacts of people who have HAV, or people who have other health problems that would make an infection more serious.

 

 

 

What tests can you offer me at SHAC?

If you get any of the symptoms of HAV it is important to determine if it is HAV or another virus that might be more serious. To test for antibodies to HAV we will take a small blood sample from the vein in your arm.

 

 

 

When am I likely to get results from the tests and what should I do next?

If your blood tests come back as 'positive for HAV' this might mean that you have had the virus in the past but are no longer infectious. We can interpret the test results for you. If you have had the virus in the past you should be protected from getting it for the next few years at least.

 

 

 

 

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