<p><strong>What is hepatitis A?</strong><br /> Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus. It&rsquo;s usually spread in the poo of someone who&rsquo;s infected. Hepatitis A isn&rsquo;t common in the UK but it&rsquo;s common in other parts of the world. Most people who get hepatitis A get better in a few months. How can you get hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is more common in: Africa Asia The Middle East Central America South America You can get hepatitis A from: Drinking unclean water Eating food that&rsquo;s been handled or prepared by someone with hepatitis A Eating food that&rsquo;s been washed or grown in unclean water Being in close physical contact with someone with hepatitis A, for example having sex or sharing needles to take recreational drugs The infection is at its most contagious stage in the two weeks before symptoms appear, up until about a week after the symptoms first show. Signs &amp; symptoms of hepatitis A Hepatitis A symptoms usually develop approximately four weeks after becoming infected. Most children and some adults have mild symptoms and some people don&rsquo;t have any. Symptoms can include: Having a fever Flu-like symptoms like feeling tired, having a headache and having muscle aches and pains Nausea Being sick Pain in your upper tummy Feeling constipated Having diarrhoea Having pale yellow poo Having pale grey poo Having dark brown wee Having itchy skin (some people also get a raised rash called hives) Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice) Symptoms usually subside within a couple of months. Make sure to speak to your GP if you have any of the above symptoms of hepatitis A and: You&rsquo;ve travelled to a place where hepatitis A is common recently You&rsquo;ve been in close contact with someone who has hepatitis A recently You&rsquo;ve got a blood clotting disorder like haemophilia You&rsquo;re a man who has sex with men You&rsquo;ve shared needles with people when taking drugs Your job puts you at risk of getting hepatitis A It&rsquo;s important to tell your GP that you think you might have hepatitis A. Treating hepatitis A Although there&rsquo;s no cure for hepatitis A, it will normally pass on its own within three to six months. If you&rsquo;re struggling with any symptoms or you haven&rsquo;t started to improve within a couple of months, speak to your GP for further advice. They may offer you medicines which can help with the symptoms. Some people who have hepatitis A might get some problems with their liver. If this is the case, you might need blood tests to make sure your liver is working properly. Hepatitis A vaccination The hepatitis A vaccine isn&rsquo;t routinely given because the risk is so low in the UK, but if you&#39;re travelling to a country with a risk of the disease, vaccination is recommended. How long does the hepatitis A vaccination last? A booster is recommended after six to 12 months to provide protection for 25 years. There are other ways to help avoid hepatitis A while you&rsquo;re travelling. These include: Washing your hands thoroughly before you prepare and eat food Drinking bottled water Avoiding eating shellfish Avoiding uncooked fruit and veg Using a condom or dental dam when you&rsquo;re having sex Our service For specialist health advice and vaccinations, book an appointment online with Boots Travel Vaccinations and Health Advice Service9. Ideally, this should be six to eight weeks before departure, but it&rsquo;s never too late to seek advice if you&#39;re leaving sooner. Book your travel health consultation An illustration of two people with one pharmacy cross in the middle 1. Book an appointment Six to eight weeks before you travel you will need to have your travel health appointment to assess what vaccinations you need. An illustration of a pharmacy and clipboard 2. Attend a personalised risk assessment&sup2;&sup3; During the 40 minute travel health appointment our specially-trained pharmacist will advise on any vaccinations and antimalarials you need for your travelling. An illustration of a vaccination needle 3. Get any vaccinations &amp; antimalarials you may need⁹ You&#39;ll also be given additional personalised advice to help you stay healthy on your trip Discover more Two people with backpacks sitting down, overlooking some mountains Travel health From insect bites &amp; stings to travel vaccinations &amp; jet lag. Explore products, services &amp; advice for an upcoming trip Find out more Someone applying insect spray on their arm in a park Avoiding yellow fever Ready to explore? Learn more about avoiding yellow fever while travelling Find out more A pharmacist using a syringe Avoiding hepatitis B Ready to explore? Learn more about avoiding hepatitis B while travelling Find out more Two people standing on a rock looking over a mountainous view with a child on one of their backs Travel Vaccinations &amp; Health Advice Get vaccinations &amp; health advice for your chosen destination9 Find out more Terms &amp; conditions</p>