They can do a blood test to see if you have the disease. There is no specific medicine to treat or cure hepatitis A. If you have the virus, your body will eventually get rid of the infection on its own.
You probably will feel sick for a few months before you begin to feel better. To help your liver heal, you should get plenty of rest, eat a balanced diet and avoid alcohol and acetaminophen one brand name: Tylenol. Talk with your doctor before you take any prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or supplements.
Alcohol, acetaminophen, and certain other medicines, vitamins, and supplements can cause more damage to your liver. You may need to stay in the hospital for a short time if you get dehydrated, have severe pain, suddenly become confused, or develop bleeding problems.
The best way to protect yourself against hepatitis A is to get the vaccine. The hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children older than age 1. It begins to protect you only 4 weeks after you are vaccinated. A 6- to month booster is required for long-term protection. Ask your doctor if the vaccination is right for you.
You should also wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after cooking, after using the bathroom, and after changing diapers. Once you recover from hepatitis A, you develop antibodies that protect you from the virus for life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. American Liver Foundation: Hepatitis A. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.
Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. You may hear conflicting reports from different sources.
The U. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More. Food Poisoning. Acute Bronchitis. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Bursitis of the Hip. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis, but it is often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common hepatitis viruses are hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis A , hepatitis B , and hepatitis C are liver infections caused by three different viruses.
Although each can cause similar symptoms, they are spread in different ways and can affect the liver differently. Hepatitis A is usually a short-term infection and does not become chronic. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also begin as short-term, acute infections, but in some people, the virus remains in the body, resulting in chronic disease and long-term liver problems.
There are vaccines to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B; however, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C. People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage.
In rare cases, hepatitis A can cause liver failure and even death; this is more common in older people and in people with other serious health issues, such as chronic liver disease. In , a total of 12, hepatitis A cases were reported in the United States. Since , person-to-person outbreaks of hepatitis A have been occurring across the United States mainly among people who use injection drugs or are experiencing homelessness, resulting in more than 32, cases.
Since the hepatitis A vaccine was first recommended in , cases of hepatitis A in the United States declined dramatically. Unfortunately, in recent years the number of people infected has been increasing because there have been multiple outbreaks of hepatitis A in the United States resulting from person-to-person contact, especially among people who use drugs, people experiencing homelessness, and men who have sex with men. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected.
The hepatitis A virus is spread when someone ingests the virus even in amounts too small to see through:. Hepatitis A can be spread from close, personal contact with an infected person, such as through certain types of sexual contact like oral-anal sex , caring for someone who is ill, or using drugs with others.
Hepatitis A is very contagious, and people can even spread the virus before they feel sick. Contamination of food with the hepatitis A virus can happen at any point: growing, harvesting, processing, handling, and even after cooking.
Contamination of food and water happens more often in countries where hepatitis A is common. Although uncommon, foodborne outbreaks have occurred in the United States from people eating contaminated fresh and frozen imported food products.
Although anyone can get hepatitis A, in the United States, certain groups of people are at higher risk for getting infected and for having severe disease if they do get hepatitis A.
If you think you have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus, call your health professional or your local or state health department as soon as possible, ideally within 2 weeks. A health professional can decide next steps based on your age and overall health. A single shot of the hepatitis A vaccine can help prevent hepatitis A if given within 2 weeks of exposure.
Depending upon your age and health, your doctor may recommend immune globulin in addition to the hepatitis A vaccine. The hepatitis A virus can survive outside the body for months. Exposure to freezing temperatures does not kill the virus.
Not everyone with hepatitis A has symptoms. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms develop, they usually appear 2 to 7 weeks after infection. Symptoms usually last less than 2 months, although some people can be ill for as long as 6 months. Many people, especially children, have no symptoms but can still spread the infection. In addition, a person can transmit the hepatitis A virus to others up to 2 weeks before symptoms appear.
A doctor can determine if you have hepatitis A by discussing your symptoms and ordering a blood test that can tell whether you have been recently infected with the virus that causes hepatitis A. To treat the symptoms of hepatitis A, doctors usually recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids.
Some people with severe symptoms will need medical care in a hospital. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is through vaccination with the hepatitis A vaccine. To get the full benefit of the hepatitis A vaccine, more than one shot is needed. The number and timing of these shots depends on the type of vaccine you are given. Practicing good hand hygiene — including thoroughly washing hands after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food — plays an important role in preventing the spread of hepatitis A.
People at increased risk for severe disease from hepatitis A infection. There are two types of hepatitis A vaccine. The first type, the single-dose hepatitis A vaccine, is given as two shots, 6 months apart, and both shots are needed for long-term protection against hepatitis A. The other type is a combination vaccine that protects people against both hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children at 1 year of age, including children attending child-care centers. References: Viral hepatitis surveillance—United States, Hepatitis A in day-care centers: a community-wide assessment. Frequency of illness associated with epidemic hepatitis A virus infections in adults. Clinical manifestations of hepatitis A: recent experience in a community teaching hospital.
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