Hepatitis A is an acute, severe illness with a distinct onset of symptoms consistent with any acute viral hepatitis. The most distinctive symptom is jaundice, a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, tissues, or body fluids. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. These symptoms are the same for all types of viral hepatitis, but Hepatitis A is spread by the fecal-oral route of transmission, so it may be dispersed by infected food handlers. The illness caused by Hepatitis A may last several weeks to several months, but complete recovery is almost always achieved.
