WHAT IS HEPATITIS A?

HEPATITIS A is a liver infection caused by a virus that’s spread in the poo of an infected person.

It is uncommon in the UK but certain groups are at increased risk, such as travellers with poor levels of sanitation, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs.

Hepatitis A can be unpleasant but it’s not usually serious and most people make a full recovery within a couple of months. Symptoms of hepatitis A develop, on average, around four weeks after becoming infected although not everyone will experience them. Symptoms can include:

feeling tired and generally unwell joint and muscle pain a high temperature (fever) loss of appetite feeling or being sick pain in the upper right part of your stomach

yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

dark urine and pale stools itchy skin The symptoms will usually pass within a couple of months Hepatitis A vaccination is not routinely offered on the NHS as the infection is rare in the UK with only 13 reported cases in Wales in 2012. However it is strongly advised that anyone travelling to a country where the infection is more common (particularly Africa, northern and southern Asia, Central America and southern and eastern Europe) should receive the hepatitis

A vaccination along with any other travel immunisations recommended by their GP.