Hepatitis A Vaccine
Need the hepatitis A vaccine before you travel? Book an appointment with Orion Pharmacy online.
What is Hepatitis A and how do you catch it?
Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus. It’s typically spread via the stool of someone carrying the infection.
You can contract hepatitis A in a number of ways:
- From someone with the infection not washing their hands thoroughly and preparing food which you eat
- Washing hands in contaminated water and preparing food that you eat
- Drinking contaminated water (including ice cubes)
- Eating raw or undercooked seafood sourced from contaminated water
- Being in close contact with someone who has the infection
- Having intercourse with someone with the infection (particularly men who have sex with men)
- Injecting drugs using contaminated equipment
Popular affected travel locations include
- Africa
- Indian subcontinents
- Far East
- Middle East
- Central and South America
Travelling abroad and not sure if you're at risk?
If you’re unsure about the vaccine, have any questions or want to find out what vaccines you need. We’re here to help, book your appointment online or call us on 0208 393 1000.
Top Tips for protecting against Hepatitis A
When you’re abroad to help you avoid hepatitis A it’s best to be careful with foods if you do not know how they have been prepared and cooked.
You should only drink boiled or bottled water and wash your hands very carefully after going to the toilet and before preparing food. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and prioritise good hand hygiene while you travel.
Hepatitis Symptoms
Hepatitis A symptoms typically appear a few weeks after you’ve been infected with the virus. However, not everyone with hepatitis A develops symptoms. If you do, symptoms may include:
- Unusual weakness and tiredness
- Sudden nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially where your liver is
- Grey-coloured stool
- Decrease in appetite
- Mild fever
- Dark urine
- Joint pain
- Jaundice
- Intense itching
If you’re unsure you’ve been exposed to the infection we recommend booking an appointment with your GP for tests.