Hepatitis A

If you are at risk of hepatitis A, it is recommended that you are vaccinated to lower your risk of becoming infected. The vaccine works by causing your body to make antibodies which will stop you becoming infected if you come into contact with the virus.

Hepatitis A can be given as a sole vaccine or in combination with other vaccines such as Typhoid fever and/or hepatitis B.

Please see the downloadable publication below for full information.

Immunisation is one way to protect yourself from getting hepatitis A, however no vaccine is 100% guaranteed. To protect yourself further you should:

• make sure you practise good hygiene;
• avoid eating raw or not quite cooked shellfish, raw salads, vegetables and fruits that may have been washed in unclean water. Also avoid foods that may have been grown close to the ground, such as strawberries
• avoid drinking untreated drinking water including ice cubes and only use treated or bottled water when brushing your teeth
• avoid unpasteurised milk, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products
• avoid pre-prepared foods such as buffets or foods from street vendors which you have not seen being cooked, foods which are served at room temperature or could have had flies on them
• have safer sex; use a condom or a dental dam
• never share anything you use for injecting or snorting drugs and/or steroids.

If you have been diagnosed with hepatitis A, reducing the risk of spreading the infection is important. You should:

• ensure very good personal hygiene; wash your hands after you have been to the toilet and before eating or drinking
• avoid handling or preparing food
• practise protected sex;
• avoid sharing drug injecting equipment and all other drug paraphernalia.

Alcohol
Alcohol is a toxin processed by your liver and as a result can be dangerous for anyone with liver problems. It is strongly advised that you should not drink any alcohol while you are ill with hepatitis A.

Smoking
Smoking is dangerous to everyone’s health. Smoking can increase the severity of liver damage. People with liver disease are more vulnerable to infection and to poor health overall, so smoking or exposure to passive smoking is not advisable.

Diet
For most people with hepatitis A there is no special diet. However, eating a good, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself well. Regular balanced meals containing protein (such as meat, fish or beans), starch (such as bread, potatoes or rice) and vitamins (in fruit and vegetables) is the best approach

If you are feeling or being sick and are having trouble eating, or are concerned about losing weight, you can ask your GP or hospital consultant to be referred to a dietitian (a specialist in nutrition and diet) for further advice. You can also find some more information about diet, cutting down on fatty foods and coping with eating difficulties in our ‘Diet and liver disease’ section.

Alcohol
Alcohol is a toxin processed by your liver and as a result can be dangerous for anyone with liver problems. It is strongly advised that you should not drink any alcohol while you are ill with hepatitis A.

Smoking
Smoking is dangerous to everyone’s health. Smoking can increase the severity of liver damage. People with liver disease are more vulnerable to infection and to poor health overall, so smoking or exposure to passive smoking is not advisable.

Diet
For most people with hepatitis A there is no special diet. However, eating a good, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself well. Regular balanced meals containing protein (such as meat, fish or beans), starch (such as bread, potatoes or rice) and vitamins (in fruit and vegetables) is the best approach

If you are feeling or being sick and are having trouble eating, or are concerned about losing weight, you can ask your GP or hospital consultant to be referred to a dietitian (a specialist in nutrition and diet) for further advice. You can also find some more information about diet, cutting down on fatty foods and coping with eating difficulties in our ‘Diet and liver disease’ section.

Many complementary and alternative medicines available suggest they can ease the symptoms of liver disease. As with any other medicine, you should use them with care; before taking any medicine you should check with your doctor that it is safe to do so.

Most medicines are processed by the liver so they can be toxic to people with liver problems. Some can damage the liver and make you more severely ill. At present, healthcare professionals are not clear on the role and place of some complementary medicines in managing liver disease; more research is needed on their use.

Licensing has been introduced for some traditional herbal medicines. However, many herbal products are not classified as a medicine and so can be legally sold as food or cosmetic; this means there is no regulation of the product and so you cannot be sure how much of the active ingredient you are getting, or how pure it is. Unregulated products are not monitored or assessed for how effective or safe they are. Some remedies can damage the liver and make you more severely ill. It is wise to be cautious about the claims made about herbal remedies, particularly those advertised on the internet.

It is very important to discuss the use of these remedies with your doctor before considering taking them.

Please visit the support section of our website for information on Support groups in your area or visit our Useful Links section for other organisations who may be able to offer information and support. Other sources of information include:

www.nathnac.org – information on travel health, including how to protect yourself against hepatitis A, B and C

www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk  – advice on travel vaccinations