Warning Signs Call Hepatitis A Doctor

warning-signs-call-doctor Consult your hepatitis A doctor immediately if a person with hepatitis A develops severe dehydration (caused by vomiting and inability to keep fluids) or any other signs of rapidly developing liver failure, including:
- Extreme irritability (greater than expected, when a person is sick).
- The inability to think clearly or reason.
- The extreme drowsiness.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Swelling of the face, hands, feet, ankles, legs, arms or abdomen (edema).
- Bleeding from the nose, mouth or rectum (including blood in the stool), or under the skin.

Call a hepatitis A doctor today if :
- At least one of the signs or symptoms of hepatitis develop. For more information, see the Symptoms section of this issue.
- A child or family member was in a daycare or other facility where an outbreak of hepatitis A occurred.
- Someone in your family has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.
- Your sexual partner has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.
- Did you eat at a restaurant or other food service is known as the source of an outbreak of hepatitis A.
- Planning a trip to a foreign country or any other reason to believe that you should be vaccinated against hepatitis A. The vaccination plan 6 months before travel, if possible. If time is short, vaccinated at least 1 month before the trip offers some protection, and 2 weeks before the trip can also be helpful.

Surveillance, or watchful waiting is not recommended if you believe you have been exposed to HAV hepatitis A virus (HAV) or if you have symptoms of the disease. It is very important to consult hepatitis A doctor if signs of hepatitis A symptoms appear, because all forms of viral hepatitis have similar symptoms. Only a blood test can determine if you have hepatitis A or other hepatitis viruses. The hepatitis A doctor may also give advice on how to prevent the spread of hepatitis A.

Most of the time, the following health professionals (doctor medicals in your country) can treat and diagnose hepatitis A. The health professionals are : internist, physician assistant, vocational nurse, pediatrician or physician family medicine. But if complications occur, you may need the attention of a gastroenterologist, liver specialist (hepatologist) or specialist in infectious diseases.