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Bloodborne Pathogens Section
Hepatitis A Fact Sheet
Cause
- Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
- Non-enveloped virus of the Picornoviridae family
- One serotype identified
- Identified in 1972
- HAV is an enteric viral infection, generally transmitted through
a fecal-oral route.
Clinical Characteristics
| Incubation Period |
From 15-50 days, average
28-30 days |
| Acute Illness |
Can cause a renewed illness up to one year after initial
infection. This can happen in about 15% of patients. |
| Chronic Infection |
People usually do not remain infected for life. The
body will most often fight off the virus naturally. |
| Global Incidence |
1.5 million cases each year. |
| Global Prevalence |
15-100% in various parts of the world. |
Recovering from a Hepatitis A (Hep A) infection results in lifelong
immunity that will protect you from getting Hep A again.
Signs and Symptoms
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), other general symptoms
such as uneasiness, loss of appetite, pain in the stomach area, dark
urine and fatigue.
- Most people mild to serious Hep A recover naturally.
Modes of Transmission
- Exposure to water or food products contaminated with HAV (feces containing
the virus)
- Transmission through household or sexual contact is seen as a very
rare event, particularly in heterosexual relationships
- Transmission through blood does not happen often.
Persons at Risk
| Persons |
Level of Risk |
| People in the food handling industry exposed to contaminated
food or water |
High |
| People who inject drugs |
Medium |
| People living, visiting or working in developing countries |
Medium |
| Inmates in prisons or jails |
Medium |
| Household contacts of HAV individuals |
Medium |
| Hemophiliacs |
Low |
Individuals with long-term liver disease may be at higher risk for a
more serious hepatitis infection.
Prevention
- A vaccine to protect against HAV is available. A combination vaccine
for Hep A and B is also available.
Treatment
- There is no effective treatment to date. People generally recover
from symptoms in 4 to 6 weeks.
Canadian Data on the trends of HAV
- The incidence of Hep A was approximately 2.9 cases for every 100,000
persons in 1999 (Health Canada, Notifiable Diseases Online)
Reference: Bloodborne Pathogens Section, Blood Safety Surveillance and
Health Care Acquired Infections Division, Health Canada, 2003
[Blood Safety Surveillance and
Health Care Acquired Infections Division]
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