Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is located in the top right corner of the abdominal area. Hepatitis A is a blood-borne virus (BBV) that affects the liver.
Signs and symptoms:
Symptoms usually appear about four weeks after you've been infected. Common symptoms include:
- Tiredness.
- Body aches and pains.
- Loss of appetite.
- Feeling sick and vomiting.
- Fever and chills.
- Upper stomach pain, usually on the right side.
- Eyes or skin turning yellow (jaundice).
Risky when:
The hepatitis A virus is found in the faeces of infected people. It's usually spread by close personal contact with an infected person, or by eating and drinking contaminated (dirty) food or water. The disease can also be spread sexually by oral/anal contact.
Vaccination:
Immunisation against hepatitis A includes a course of injections over six to 12 months. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking about vaccination.
Other STIs and BBVs
