Hepatitis A and protecting close contacts
Content date: 14 November 2026
An infection usually spread by contaminated food or water or close contact. It does not become chronic, but some cases can be severe.
Your next step
If recently exposed, prepare the exposure date and vaccination record and contact the team about prevention.
Get urgent help: Confusion or difficulty waking, bleeding, vomiting that prevents drinking, reduced urine, severe dizziness or rapid deterioration: seek urgent assessment.
Is it the same as hepatitis B or C?
- These viruses can all inflame the liver, but their transmission and course differ. Hepatitis A causes an acute, time-limited infection and does not become chronic. Most patients recover completely, and past infection usually provides protection against getting it again.
- Symptoms can begin weeks after exposure, so the source may not be remembered. Young children may spread the virus without jaundice or obvious symptoms, while adults more often have symptoms. Assessment is especially important with pre-existing chronic liver disease, because infection may be more severe.
- Fatigue may persist or return temporarily during recovery without meaning the infection has become chronic. We monitor symptoms, tests and liver function and advise when usual activity can resume. Eye color or symptoms cannot identify the virus; the appropriate blood test helps establish the diagnosis.
How does it spread?
- The virus passes from an infected person’s stool to another person’s mouth, usually through hands, food or water. Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before preparing food.
- Transmission can occur before symptoms. If infected, do not prepare food for others; ask the team how long precautions are needed and when to return to work or school.
Symptoms and tests:
- Fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, jaundice and dark urine may occur. Liver enzyme levels alone do not determine severity.
- Anti-HAV IgM helps diagnose recent infection when suspected. IgG usually indicates immunity after past infection or vaccination.
- IgM is not a routine immunity screening test; it is usually requested when symptoms suggest infection. A positive result can be misleading when there is no appropriate clinical suspicion, so it is interpreted with symptoms, exposure and test timing.
Treatment and recovery:
- Treatment is usually supportive: fluids, food as tolerated and appropriate rest. An antiviral is not routinely used for this infection.
- Fatigue may last weeks, and symptoms can be prolonged or return temporarily. Attend scheduled blood tests; some patients need hospital care.
- Review medicines and painkillers with your doctor, and avoid alcohol and herbs. Do not start a strict diet or “liver cleansing” mixtures.
After exposure: do not wait for symptoms:
- Seek prompt assessment for preventive treatment, preferably the same day. Vaccine or immune globulin is given as soon as possible within two weeks of exposure.
- The choice depends on age, vaccinations, immunity and liver disease. For exposure within the past two weeks, an unprotected person with chronic liver disease or weakened immunity is generally advised to receive both vaccine and immune globulin after medical assessment.
- Tell the doctor when contact occurred and whether you live with or provide daily care to the infected person. Do not select preventive treatment yourself.
Future prevention:
- Discuss hepatitis A vaccination if you are not immune, especially with chronic liver disease or travel to areas where it is common.
- Complete doses according to the center’s schedule and vaccine type. Preventive doses and options differ for children and some special situations.
When to get help
Confusion or difficulty waking, bleeding, vomiting that prevents drinking, reduced urine, severe dizziness or rapid deterioration: seek urgent assessment.
New jaundice, symptoms after exposure or persistent symptoms. Follow-up should be closer with existing liver disease.