Acute hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a temporary viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver, leading to flu-like symptoms and jaundice.
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Hepatitis A is an infection caused by a virus that specifically targets your liver, which is the organ responsible for filtering your blood and processing nutrients. When the virus enters your body, your liver becomes inflamed, meaning it swells up and has trouble doing its job correctly.
The virus is usually spread through contact with tiny, invisible particles of stool from an infected person, often because of contaminated food or water. While it can make you feel quite sick for a few weeks, it is usually a short-term condition that goes away on its own without causing permanent damage to your liver.
Common Symptoms
- Feeling very tired and weak
- Nausea or an upset stomach
- Stomach pain, especially on the upper right side near your ribs
- Loss of appetite
- Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes, a condition called jaundice
- Dark-colored urine that looks like tea or cola
- Light-colored or clay-colored bowel movements
- Fever