• Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by a virus. The virus is found in the feces (poop) of infected people.
• The hepatitis A virus is spread when invisible particles of feces (poop) get into your mouth. You can get hepatitis A by eating contaminated food or water, during sex, or just by living with an infected person.
• If you get infected with hepatitis A, your skin and eyes can turn yellow. You can get very sick for weeks and may need to be hospitalized, and even die. Some people don’t feel sick, but they can still spread the virus to others.
• You are more likely to be infected with the virus if you travel or work outside the U.S., use illegal drugs, have sex with an infected person, are homeless or have unstable housing arrangements, or care for a recently arrived unvaccinated child from a country where hepatitis A is common.
• You are more likely to have severe illness if you have chronic liver disease or HIV infection.
• Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A.
| Hepatitis A Vaccine Schedule |
| Two doses of hepatitis A vaccine are recommended for all children beginning at age 12 months. The two doses should be separated by 6 months. Children and adolescents through age 18 years who have not previously been vaccinated should be vaccinated routinely at any age. If you didn’t get the vaccine as a child, you should get vaccinated now if you are in a group at risk for hepatitis A, or just if you want to be protected. |