Hepatitis A Cure

To date, the only hepatitis A cure known is time. Within a period of months, most people have successfully fought off the infection, and there are usually no long-term effects from it. Until scientists and doctors develop a different hepatitis A cure, prevention is the best way of avoiding infection. Vaccinations and good personal hygiene habits are keys to preventing the spread of the hepatitis A virus.

 

Is There a Hepatitis A Cure?

When a person is infected with the hepatitis A virus, there is only one cure -- time. If signs and symptoms of hepatitis A (hep A) do occur, treatment consists of supportive care, which means treating the symptoms and possible complications that arise while the body fights the virus.
 
Fortunately, in most cases, the body is able to effectively kill the hepatitis A virus. In fact, most people who are infected never develop symptoms or they develop minor symptoms. Typically, there are no long-term effects from hepatitis A.
 

Prevention: The Best Hepatitis A Cure

The best cure for hepatitis A is preventing it from happening in the first place.
 Methods to help prevent infection include:
 
  • Getting vaccinated. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to get vaccinated. The vaccine is effective and can keep you from ever getting hepatitis A. The vaccine is also available for long-term prevention against infection in people 12 months of age and older.
     
  • Practicing good personal hygiene. Because so many cases of hepatitis A are due to close contact with an infected person, you should always practice good personal hygiene, especially by washing your hands after using the toilet and before fixing food or eating.
     
(Click Prevention of Hepatitis A or Hepatitis A Vaccine for more information.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD