A liver infection spread through contaminated food, water or close contact. Explore its illustrative 3D model, human context, and sources.
Hepatitis A virus inflames the liver. WHO describes spread mainly when someone swallows food or water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person, closely associated with unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene. Unlike hepatitis B and C it does not cause chronic liver disease, and almost everyone recovers fully with lifelong immunity.
WHO states that almost everyone recovers fully from hepatitis A with lifelong immunity, while a very small proportion can develop fulminant hepatitis, which is often fatal, and that severity and fatal outcomes are higher in older age groups. An estimated 35,569 people died of hepatitis A worldwide in 2023. This describes documented outcomes, not a personal risk estimate.
Hepatitis A virus · non-enveloped icosahedral particle. The ordinary non-enveloped particle is shown; membrane-cloaked forms in blood are omitted. The colours, proportions, protein shapes and visible counts are illustrative, not measured or an atomic reconstruction. Independent scientific review remains pending.
Source check: 2026-09-19. Educational content; independent scientific review remains pending.