Hepatitis A - Diagnosing hepatitis A
- Introduction
- Symptoms of hepatitis A
- Causes of hepatitis A
- Diagnosing hepatitis A
- Treating hepatitis A
- Complications of hepatitis A
- Hepatitis A vaccination
- See what the doctor sees with Map of Medicine
If you have been in contact with someone infected with hepatitis A, or you begin to have symptoms associated with hepatitis A, such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), see your GP.
Your GP will be able to diagnose hepatitis A with a blood test. If this shows a positive reaction to antibodies (proteins produced by your immune system to fight disease), it means your body is making antibodies to fight the hepatitis A virus present in your blood.
Further testing is usually only required if:
- the diagnosis is uncertain
- your symptoms show no sign of improvement after a few months
- there is concern you may have developed complications such as liver failure (loss of normal liver function)
In these circumstances, one or more of the following tests may be recommended:
- liver function test – a type of blood test that can be used to check how well your liver is working
- ultrasound scan – where high-frequency sound waves are used to build up an image of the inside of your liver
- liver biopsy – where a small sample of liver tissue is removed and checked for any problems
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