DENVER (KDVR) — After the recent possible hepatitis A outbreak at a King Soopers in Wheat Ridge, many are wondering what exactly hepatitis A is.
Hepatitis A, as it turns out, is a highly contagious version of the hepatitis virus that causes inflammation and puts strain on the liver. The virus mainly spreads through bodily fluids and eating contaminated foods.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of hepatitis A include:
- Fatigue
- Sudden nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially on the upper right side beneath your lower ribs (by your liver)
- Clay-colored bowel movements
- Loss of appetite
- Low-grade fever
- Dark urine
- Joint pain
- Yellowing of the skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
- Intense itching
If you think you may have contracted hepatitis A, you are advised to contact a health professional, or your state health department as soon as possible.