Risk factors for Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is transmitted form one person to other by faecal-oral transmission. People living in developing countries with poor sanitation and who fail to maintain personal hygiene are at risk of infection with HAV. Read to more on risk factors for Hepatitis A infection.

• Risk of infection is high in areas where direct faecal-oral transmission is likely to occur, such as day-care centres, prisons, and mental institutions.
• People (householders and others) in contact with a person infected with HAV are at increased risk for hepatitis A infection.
• Sexual partners of a person with HAV infection.
• Travellers from developed countries to developing countries.
• Homosexual men.
• People practicing anal sex.

The risk of HAV infection is not necessarily higher in health care professionals, people who work in sewage and waste water management compared to the general public. The risk of infection is increased if personal hygiene measures are not observed.

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