Hepatitis
A
Hepatitis A (HAV) is a virus spread from person to person
by anal/oral contact, by putting something in the mouth that has been
contaminated with infected feces,
and fecal contamination of food and water.
Infection with hepatitis A is confirmed when the blood test for hepatitis A,
called the IgM hepatitis A antibody test, is positive.
Symptoms may include feelings of illness, experiencing jaundice, fatigue, nausea,
vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine/light stools, and fever.
An infected person can transmit the virus to others as early as two weeks before
symptoms appear and one week after. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis
A. An infection will clear up in a few weeks to a month and the recovered individual
is then immune and will never get HAV infection again.
Some individuals (1 in 100) suffer from an infection (fulminant) that may require
a liver transplant. HAV Vaccines are recommended to men who have sex with other
men among other groups of people at a higher risk. The HAV vaccine is highly
effective in preventing hepatitis A.
MORE INFORMATION >>
Hepatitis: Get the Facts :: Hepatitis A :: Hepatitis
B :: Hepatitis C :: Safer
Sex
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