Hepatitis A Virus Test: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Hepatitis A can be prevented by vaccination. For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
• You may be able to prevent a hepatitis A infection by getting a dose of immune globulin after you have been exposed to the virus. See the topic Hepatitis A.
• Hepatitis antibodies can take weeks or months to develop, so your results may be negative even though you have the early stages of an infection (false-negative).
• Other tests that show how well the liver is working are usually done if your doctor thinks you may have hepatitis. These tests can include measuring levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. For more information, see the medical tests Bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase, Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST).
• Many states require that some types of hepatitis infections be reported to the local health department. The health department can then send out a warning to other people who may have been infected with the hepatitis virus, such as those who ate food served by a person who has the infection.
• Hepatitis A virus does not cause long-term illness, so there is no need for follow-up testing once the infection goes away.

Last updated:	September 09, 2008
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, W. Thomas London, MD - Hepatology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer