What is hepatitis A vs hepatitis B?

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Hepatitis A and B share a target organ - the liver - and little else. Hepatitis A: spreads through contaminated food and water - the traveler hepatitis - causing weeks of misery: fatigue, nausea, dark urine, jaundice; it does not become chronic, and nearly everyone recovers fully, though adults get hit harder than children. The vaccine is two doses, recommended for all children and for travelers, per CDC. Hepatitis B: spreads through blood and body fluids - sex, needles, shared razors, birth from an infected mother - and the defining difference: it can go chronic, quietly damaging the liver for decades toward cirrhosis and liver cancer. The younger the infection, the likelier chronicity - infected infants almost always go chronic, adults rarely do.

The vaccine picture flipped recently: hepatitis B vaccination is now recommended for all adults 19 to 59, beyond the old risk groups - the CDC universalized it in 2022 because risk-based screening missed too many. Over 60: by risk and preference. The series is two or three doses depending on brand.

Travel relevance: hepatitis A is the one your Mexico or street-food itinerary needs; hepatitis B matters for medical tourism, tattoos abroad, and new partners. Both vaccines can run on the same day in different arms. There is no hepatitis C vaccine - prevention there is avoiding shared needles and unsterile procedures.

Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. Share your travel and risk picture, and it can help you plan the shots.

What is hepatitis A vs hepatitis B?

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