MamasHealth.com Home Liver Diseases Autoimmune Hepatitis Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatitis C Update Jaundice Liver Cancer Liver Cirrhosis Liver Failure NAFLD Wilson's Disease Links Email Mama Is surrogacy right for you? Sign up for the MamasHealth Newsletter	What is Hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is one of five human hepatitis viruses that primarily infect the human liver and cause human illness. The other known human hepatitis viruses are hepatitis B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A is also called Viral Hepatitis. The hepatitis A virus is heat stable and will survive for up to a month at ambient temperatures in the environment Symptoms of Hepatitis A? There are many symptoms the most common symptoms are: jaundice fatigue abdominal pain loss of appetite nausea diarrhea fever How is Hepatitis A transmitted? The virus that causes hepatitis A is found in the stool of persons with hepatitis A. The hepatitis A virus is usually spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. The object that is placed in the mouth may look clean but still be infected with the hepatitis A virus. Who is at risk of infection? Anyone can contract Hepatitis A. However, there are certain people who have a higher risk of developing Hepatitis a. Those people are listed below. Household contacts of infected persons Sex contacts of infected persons Persons traveling to countries where hepatitis A is common Men who have sex with men Injecting and non-injecting drug users How is Hepatitis A Treated? If you believe you have Hepatitis A, you should seek medical help. Hepatitis A usually goes away on its own after several weeks. Can Hepatitis A be prevented? Yes. The Hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent from catching the virus. Another common way to protect yourself from catching the virus is to maintain good personal hygiene and proper sanitation. Also, always wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and before preparing and eating food.	Featured Book
	Health Topic: Tummy Tuck Surgery: What No One Tells You Medicare Part D: Everything you need to know Finding time for sex How to choose the best weight loss program Easy flirting tips How to deal with a stubborn husband or boyfriend Surviving a financial crisis Save money in the kitchen Inexpensive health insurance
	Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use. Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170 If you want a review of your product featured on MamasHealth.com, let us know. ©2000 - 2008 MamasHealth.com™. All rights reserved