# Hepatitis A: How It Spreads, Symptoms and Vaccine > Hepatitis A spreads through dirty hands, water and food. What the symptoms are, how it is treated, how the vaccine helps, and when to see a doctor right away. ## What hepatitis A is and how it spreads Hepatitis A is a short-term viral infection of the liver, often called a "dirty hands" disease. The virus leaves the body in stool and reaches another person's mouth through unwashed hands, contaminated water, or food such as raw vegetables and fruit. It can also spread through close contact at home, in kindergartens and through sex. The risk is higher where clean water and sanitation are limited, and when traveling to such places. ## Hepatitis A symptoms Signs usually appear two to four weeks after infection. The illness often starts like a cold or a stomach bug: fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, sometimes diarrhea and [abdominal pain](https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/abdominal-pain), most often under the right ribs. A few days later urine turns dark, stools turn pale, and the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. Children under 6 often have few or no symptoms but can still pass the virus on. Adults tend to be sicker. ## Is hepatitis A serious, and can it become chronic? Unlike hepatitis B, hepatitis A does not become chronic. Most people recover fully and are immune for life. Recovery can still take weeks or even months, and the illness is harder on older adults and people with chronic liver disease. Very rarely it causes acute liver failure, which needs urgent hospital care. ## Diagnosis and treatment Diagnosis is confirmed with a blood test for antibodies to the virus and liver tests. There is no specific antiviral drug. Care is supportive: rest, plenty of fluids, a gentle diet and medical follow-up. Hospital care is needed if the illness is severe or complications are likely. Alcohol and any medicines or supplements taken during the illness should be discussed with a doctor, because some add strain on the liver. A sick person should stay apart from the household during the contagious period, use their own dishes and towel, and everyone at home should wash hands carefully. People who had close contact with a patient should call a doctor right away: vaccination within two weeks of exposure may help prevent the disease. ## Prevention and the hepatitis A vaccine Prevention starts with washing hands with soap after using the toilet and before eating, safe drinking water, properly cooked food and well-washed produce. The most reliable protection is the vaccine. The inactivated vaccine is usually given in two doses several months apart, with the schedule set by a doctor, and protection lasts for many years. The minimum age is 1 year. Hepatitis A is not part of Georgia's routine national immunization calendar. The calendar order (No. 01-60/n, version of July 13, 2023) recommends it from age 1 for specific risks: travel to areas where hepatitis A is common, work in water supply, sewage, food service or retail, and hepatitis B or C or chronic liver disease. This vaccination is paid for by the person, the employer or a special program, so it is usually done privately. It is also worth discussing with a doctor if someone in your household falls ill. Clinics use, among others, the Havrix vaccine (pediatric and adult forms). Vaccine prices at clinics in Georgia are listed further down this page. If you are planning protection against several infections at once, also ask your doctor about [hepatitis B](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/hepatitis-b). Another intestinal infection that spreads in a similar way is described on the [typhoid fever](https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/typhoid) page. ## When to see a doctor urgently - yellow skin or eyes, or dark urine; - severe weakness, repeated vomiting, or being unable to drink; - drowsiness, confusion or unusual bleeding; - close contact with a hepatitis A patient when you or your child are not vaccinated. ## Vaccination - Havrix 720 · 220 GEL (course 440 GEL) · + visit 150 GEL · price as of 05.10.2026 — Genova clinic: https://bigmed.ge/en/clinics/genova-clinic - Havrix 1440 · 220 GEL (course 440 GEL) · + visit 150 GEL · price as of 05.10.2026 — Genova clinic: https://bigmed.ge/en/clinics/genova-clinic - Havrix 1440 · 360 GEL (course 720 GEL) · price as of 08.10.2026 — Rcheuli medical: https://bigmed.ge/en/clinics/rcheuli-medical ## Doctors - Giorgi Basheleishvili — Pediatrician, General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/giorgi-basheleishvili (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/giorgi-basheleishvili.md) - Sofiko Tsitskarava — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/sofiko-cickarava (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/sofiko-cickarava.md) - Salome Akhvlediani — Pediatrician: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/salome-ahvlediani (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/salome-ahvlediani.md) - Nino Vacheishvili — Gastroenterologist, General practitioner: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/nino-vaceisvili (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/nino-vaceisvili.md) - Temur Qvelidze — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/temur-kvelidze (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/temur-kvelidze.md) - Khatuna Loladze — Pediatrician: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/khatuna-loladze (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/khatuna-loladze.md) - Margarita Zakharevich — Pediatrician, Hematologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/margarita-zaharevic (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/margarita-zaharevic.md) - Dmitry Semin — Pediatrician: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/dimitri-siomin (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/dimitri-siomin.md) - Karina — Dietitian, Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/karina-1 (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/karina-1.md) - Tamari Antelava — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/tamari-antelava (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/tamari-antelava.md) - Mariia — Gastroenterologist: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/mariia (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/doctors/mariia.md) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I get hepatitis A twice? After the illness you have lasting immunity, and a second infection is considered very rare. ### How long is a person contagious? The virus is shed mainly late in the incubation period and in the first days of illness, so isolation and hygiene should start as soon as hepatitis A is suspected. A doctor will confirm the exact timing. ### Do I need the vaccine before traveling abroad? For destinations with poor sanitation it is usually advised to get vaccinated in advance, ideally two to four weeks before departure. The decision depends on your route and health, so ask a doctor. ### Can hepatitis A spread through sex? Yes, close contact can transmit the virus. Vaccination and hygiene reduce this risk. ## Related articles - Childhood Vaccination in Georgia in 2026: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/childhood-vaccination-in-georgia-in-2026 (markdown: https://bigmed.ge/en/blog/childhood-vaccination-in-georgia-in-2026.md) ## Symptoms - Abdominal pain: https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/abdominal-pain - Nausea and vomiting: https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/nausea-vomiting - Jaundice: https://bigmed.ge/en/symptoms/jaundice --- Canonical: https://bigmed.ge/en/diseases/hepatitis-a Country: Georgia (GE), the country in the South Caucasus Updated: 2026-10-04T14:14:36+04:00