Symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, malaise (low energy), loss of appetite, stomach pain, dark-colored urine and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable illness that usually resolves without treatment.

Symptoms of hepatitis A usually appear within 2 weeks after exposure to the virus and can include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, jaundice (a yellowing of the eyes, skin, and whites of the eyes), abdominal pain, weight loss, and fever. In older children and adults, hepatitis A can lead to serious complications.

During outbreaks, hepatitis A is spread by person-to-person contact and consumption of contaminated water, food, or faeces from infected people. Risk factors for HAV transmission include injection drug use, sex with infected individuals, and traveling to areas where HAV is endemic.

According to Dr. Ananthakumar Thillainathan, hepatitis A outbreaks with person-to-person transmission occur when a person who is infected spreads the virus to someone else through their feces (poop). This can happen by eating food or drinking water contaminated with poop or by touching contaminated surfaces or objects.

Hepatitis A can also be spread through close personal contact with an infected person, such as sexual contact or taking care of an infected person. Infection can be prevented through vaccination, frequent handwashing and good sanitation practices.

Hepatitis A is a virus that can be transmitted from person to person, through contact with food or water that has been contaminated by an infected person's stool. It can also be spread through sexual activities or sharing contaminated needles.

A blood test may help diagnose hepatitis A infection. A test will show whether you have antibodies in your blood that are called anti-HAV IgM (see figure 2). People who get hepatitis A usually feel sick for a few weeks, and might have symptoms like tiredness, poor appetite, or fever. They might also have clay-colored stools or dark urine. 

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, highly contagious liver disease that is most commonly spread through the fecal-oral route, where contaminated stool enters the mouth and is then ingested by another person.