What should you know about hep a jaundice?

Jaundice develops when bilirubin builds up in the body, changing the colour of the skin or the whites of the eyes. Hepatitis A can inflame the liver and cause this change. Other possible causes include gallstones, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, malaria and disorders affecting the liver, bile ducts or pancreas.

Jaundice is a sign, not a diagnosis. The pattern of symptoms, medicines, recent travel, alcohol use, examination and blood tests help a clinician identify the cause. Dark urine, pale stools, itching, nausea or abdominal pain can provide useful additional clues.

Arrange prompt medical assessment if your skin or eyes look yellow, even if you otherwise feel well. A clinician may ask about exposure to Hepatitis A, travel, food, medicines and contacts, then decide which blood tests or imaging are appropriate.

Do not share medicines or take supplements marketed for liver cleansing while waiting for advice. Avoid alcohol until a clinician has assessed the situation, and use careful handwashing if an infectious cause is possible.

Seek urgent help for confusion, severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, unusual bleeding, extreme sleepiness or rapidly worsening yellowing. Jaundice with fever or significant illness also needs same-day advice, because the underlying problem may require timely treatment.

Ask what may be causing the jaundice, which tests are needed, whether infection precautions apply, which medicines to pause and what changes should trigger urgent review.