About hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by hepatitis A virus. If you get infected with this virus, it causes inflammation of the liver.
Hepatitis A virus is found in an infected person’s poo. So the virus can spread when people come into contact with objects, food or water that have been contaminated by an infected person’s poo.
Hepatitis A isn’t common in Australia. But it can be very common in countries without good sewerage systems, limited access to clean water and poor hygienic practices. This means you have a higher risk of getting hepatitis A if you’re travelling to those areas.
Hepatitis A symptoms
Symptoms appear 1-2 months after infection with the virus. This long incubation period can make it hard to know exactly when or where the infection happened.
Children with hepatitis A usually have milder symptoms than adults. In fact, most children with hepatitis A, especially very young children, don’t have many symptoms. They can have hepatitis A without you realising.
Sometimes children with hepatitis A, particularly older children and teenagers, can be very sick and will need to go to hospital. But this isn’t common.
When hepatitis A symptoms do happen, they can happen quite suddenly. They include general symptoms like:
Later symptoms include:
- very itchy skin
- a swollen and sore abdomen, especially over the upper right side where the liver is
- dark yellow or brown urine
- signs of jaundice, including yellowish skin or eyes.
Children with hepatitis A usually get completely better after 1-2 weeks. Occasionally it can take longer than this, especially in older children and teenagers.
Hepatitis A usually doesn’t last very long, unlike hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Medical help: when to get it for children and teenagers with hepatitis A symptoms
You should take your child to the GP if your child:
- might have come into contact with the hepatitis A virus
- develops yellowish skin or eyes
- has very dark brown urine
- has stomach pain that lasts longer than a few days
- has an unexplained rash.
Tests for hepatitis A
If your GP thinks that your child might have a hepatitis A infection, the GP will ask for blood tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Hepatitis A treatment
There’s no cure for hepatitis A, so treatment aims to ease symptoms.
If your child has diarrhoea or has been vomiting, it’s important to make sure they drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration.
If your child’s symptoms are severe, they might need to go to hospital. But this is uncommon for children.
Don’t give your child paracetamol without first checking with your doctor. If your child’s liver isn’t working properly because of a hepatitis A infection, it might be damaged by normal doses of paracetamol.
Prevention of hepatitis A
The key to preventing hepatitis A is good hygiene, which includes washing your hands after going to the toilet and before eating. This is important in any part of the world, but especially in places with a higher risk of coming into contact with hepatitis A. These include places without good sewerage systems, limited access to clean water and poor hygienic conditions.
Immunisation against hepatitis A is recommended if you’re over the age of 12 months and travelling to places where there might be a high risk of coming into contact with hepatitis A.
It’s a good idea to discuss travel immunisation for hepatitis A with your GP at least 7-8 months before you travel. Your child should get 2 doses of vaccine, 6 months apart. If you’re travelling in less than 6 months, it’s recommended that you still see your GP so your child can get the first dose before you travel. You usually need to pay for the hepatitis A vaccine.
Your GP can also give you advice about food and water safety while you’re travelling.
Immunisation program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
Hepatitis A immunisation is recommended and funded as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 12-24 months living in Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. This is because these children have a higher risk of catching hepatitis A.
If your child is in this group, talk to your local Aboriginal health clinic, doctor or other immunisation provider.
If your child has a hepatitis A infection, keep them away from child care, preschool or school. Ask your GP about when it’s OK for your child to come back.