Collection

Hepatitis A: guidance, data and analysis

The symptoms, diagnosis, management and epidemiology of hepatitis A.

• From: Public Health England
• Published: 4 December 2009
• Last updated: 23 March 2021, see all updates

Hepatitis A virus infection causes a range of illness from mild, like non specific nausea and vomiting, through to hepatitis (liver inflammation, jaundice, or icterus) and rarely liver failure.

It is normally spread by the faecal-oral route but can also be spread occasionally through blood.

Good hygiene including safe drinking water and food handling and good handwashing practice prevents infection.

Diagnosis

• Blood borne virus unit (BBVU): services
  • 5 October 2020
  • Guidance
• Clinical services unit (CSU): reference and diagnostic services
  • 23 January 2017
  • Guidance

Management

• Hepatitis A: oral fluid testing for household contacts
  • 14 April 2015
  • Form
• Hepatitis A: the green book, chapter 17
  • 4 December 2013
  • Guidance
• Immunoglobulin: when to use
  • 17 March 2021
  • Guidance
• Hepatitis A infection: prevention and control guidance
  • 16 November 2018
  • Guidance

Data collection

• Hepatitis A: case questionnaire
  • 29 June 2017
  • Form
• Acute hepatitis A and E, confirmed hepatitis C: reporting form
  • 6 June 2008
  • Form
• Hepatitis: form for reporting cases from GUM to HPTs
  • 21 October 2015
  • Form

Epidemiology

PHE routinely publishes laboratory reports of hepatitis A infections in the Health Protection Report: latest infection reports.

For volume 7 (2013) and earlier reports, see the HPR archive.

• Sentinel surveillance of blood borne virus testing in England 2019
  • 19 January 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Hepatitis A (England and Wales): 2019
  • 30 April 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Laboratory reports of hepatitis A and C: 2018
  • 15 January 2020
  • Research and analysis
• Laboratory reports of hepatitis A and C: 2017
  • 16 August 2018
  • Research and analysis
• Laboratory reports of hepatitis A and C: 2016
  • 11 August 2017
  • Research and analysis
• Laboratory reports of hepatitis A and C: 2015
  • 22 July 2016
  • Research and analysis
• Laboratory reports of hepatitis A and C: 2014
  • 24 July 2015
  • Research and analysis
• Laboratory reports of hepatitis A and C: 2013
  • 25 April 2014
  • Research and analysis

Published 4 December 2009
Last updated 23 March 2021 + show all updates

1. 23 March 2021

   Added 'Sentinel surveillance of blood borne virus testing in England 2019'.

2. 9 October 2019

   Added 2018 and 2019 reports to the epidemiology section.

3. 3 August 2018

   Added 2017 reports to the epidemiology section.

4. 27 March 2015

   Added 'Hepatitis A case questionnaire'

5. 4 December 2009

   First published.