Hepatitis A Vaccine

What Is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). The virus is found in the stool of an infected person, and it’s usually spread through close personal contact with someone who has the virus, or by unknowingly eating food or drinking water that’s been contaminated with even small amounts of HAV.

Hepatitis A vaccination has made the disease much less common in the United States, but outbreaks among unvaccinated people still happen, which is why vaccination remains the best form of protection.

How Hepatitis A Spreads

Hepatitis A is typically transmitted through close personal contact with someone who has the virus, through food or water contaminated with HAV, or through contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by small amounts of stool from an infected person. Notably, a person infected with Hepatitis A can spread the virus to others even before they show any symptoms themselves, which is part of what makes it so easy to transmit unknowingly.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Most adults who contract Hepatitis A develop symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, which shows up as yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or light-colored stools. Most children under 6 years old don’t show symptoms at all, even though they can still spread the virus to others around them.

The good news is that most people who get Hepatitis A feel sick for several weeks but recover completely without any lasting liver damage. In rare cases, however, the disease can lead to liver failure and death, a risk that’s more common in adults older than 50 and in people who already have liver disease.

Who Should Get Hepatitis A Vaccine and When?

Hepatitis A vaccines are recommended for older children and adolescents2 through 18 years of age who were not vaccinated previously should be vaccinated. For adults, those who have not yet been vaccinated and want to stay protected should also be vaccinated.

Hepatitis A vaccine is also recommended for the following people:

• International travelers
• Men who have sexual contact with other men
• People who use injection or non-injection drugs
• People who have occupational risk for infection
• People who anticipate close contact with an international adoptee
• People experiencing homelessness
• People with HIV
• People with chronic liver disease

In addition, a person who has not previously received hepatitis A vaccine and who has direct contact with someone with hepatitis A should get hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible and within 2 weeks after exposure.

Vaccine Schedule and Dosing

Children typically receive their first dose between 12 and 23 months of age, with the second dose following at least 6 months later. Infants 6 through 11 months old who are traveling outside the United States to a destination where Hepatitis A protection is recommended should get 1 dose before travel, and then still complete the routine 2-dose series later on for long-term protection.

If it’s been more than 6 months since your first dose, don’t worry, just get your second dose as soon as possible. You don’t need to restart the series from the beginning. The Hepatitis A vaccine can also be given at the same time as other vaccines.

Safety and Side Effects

The Hepatitis A vaccine is safe and highly effective, including for people with compromised immune systems, and there are no serious side effects associated with it. The most common reactions are soreness or redness at the injection site, fever, headache, tiredness, or loss of appetite.

As with any vaccine, there’s a very small chance of an allergic reaction. If you have any concerns, please make sure to talk them through with your provider.

This information is based on the CDC Hepatitis A Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) and CDC Hepatitis A vaccination guidance. For the full official Vaccine Information Statement, click here.