Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver. People usually get hepatitis A by having close contact with a person who is infected, from food or drinks prepared by someone who is infected, or by eating shellfish taken from sewage-contaminated water. It can also be caught through sex. There is a vaccine that can protect against Hepatitis A.

You can read more about the causes of hepatitis A on the NHS 111 Wales website.

How common is Hepatitis A in Wales?

Although numbers are small for Hepatitis A which has been caught through sex, there have been outbreaks occurring in some groups, such as gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and people who inject drugs, and some other groups.

Unvaccinated people returning from countries where hepatitis A is common sometimes come home with the illness.

How can I tell if someone has hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A can only be an acute, or a short term, infection which usually lasts no more than 6 months. Many people with viral hepatitis do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. For hepatitis A, symptoms usually appear within several weeks to several months of exposure and can last up to 6 months. Symptoms can include:

• High temperature (fever);
• Feeling tired all the time;
• Loss of appetite;
• Feeling sick or being sick (nausea and vomiting); Abdominal (stomach) pain;
• Joint pain;
• Yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes (jaundice);
• Dark urine and your faeces (poo) are pale;
• Itchy skin.

Most adults with hepatitis A feel sick for a few months and usually recover completely without lasting liver damage. Although rare, hepatitis A can cause liver failure and death.

You can find out more regarding treating hepatitis A on the NHS 111 Wales website.

Your body will clear the infection but this can take several months. Once you clear the infection, you’re immune and cannot get it again – but you can get other types of hepatitis.

How do I protect myself from hepatitis A?

• Thoroughly wash hands after using the toilet and before food preparation;
• Ensure good personal hygiene;
• Practice safe sex to reduce the risk of sexual transmission by using condoms;
• You can avoid getting hepatitis A by washing hands after sex (buttocks, groin, vagina and penis too, ideally), changing condoms between anal and oral sex, using disposable gloves for fingering or fisting, using a barrier for rimming (such as a dams (these are used for oral sex) and not sharing sex toys or douching equipment.

There is also a vaccination for hepatitis A – ask at your local sexual health clinic or find out more about the vaccine at NHS 111 Wales.

You can get free condoms in a range of sizes and types, including latex free, through the Sexual Health Wales condom order service. You can also get other supplies, including:

• Lube/Lubricant.
• Dams: These are used for oral sex and we can supply latex free versions.

If you can’t find what you need on our ordering platform, please get in touch with us: [email protected]

Order your free sexual health supplies

How do I protect others from getting hepatitis A?

If you have hepatitis A, it’s also important to try to reduce the risk of others getting the infection from you.

You can find out about protecting others from hepatitis A on the NHS 111 Wales website.

If I think I’ve put myself at risk of hepatitis A what should I do?

You should go and get advice from your GP or at your local sexual health clinic.

Where can I go for advice and support about if I am worried about hepatitis A?

There is extensive information about hepatitis A on the NHS 111 Wales website. You can also seek advice from your GP or at your local sexual health clinic.