Hepatitis A—Coma

A coma is a deep state of unconsciousness. An individual in a coma is alive but unable to move or respond to his or her environment. Coma may occur as a complication of an underlying illness, or as a result of injuries, such as brain injury.

A coma rarely lasts more than 2 to 4 weeks. The outcome for coma depends on the cause, severity, and site of the damage. People may come out of a coma with physical, intellectual, and psychological problems. Some people may remain in a coma for years or even decades. For those people, the most common cause of death is infection, such as pneumonia.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

• EEG (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: HAV

Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. One type, hepatitis A, is caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). The disease spreads through contact with an infected person’s stool. You can get it from

• Eating food made by an infected person who did not wash their hands after using the bathroom
• Drinking untreated water or eating food washed in untreated water
• Putting into your mouth a finger or object that came into contact with an infected person’s stool
• Having close contact with an infected person, such as through sex or caring for someone who is ill

Most people do not have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may feel as if you have the flu. You may also have yellowish eyes and skin, called jaundice. A blood test will show if you have HAV.

HAV usually gets better in a few weeks without treatment. However, some people can have symptoms for up to 6 months. Your doctor may suggest medicines to help relieve your symptoms.

The hepatitis A vaccine can prevent HAV. Good hygiene can also help. Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food, after using the toilet, or after changing a diaper. International travelers should be careful about drinking tap water.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

• Hepatitis A (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Hepatitis A — children (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Hepatitis A and the Vaccine (Shot) to Prevent It (American Academy of Family Physicians) – PDF
• Hepatitis A and the Vaccine (Shot) to Prevent It (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Hepatitis A and the Vaccine (Shot) to Prevent It (American Academy of Pediatrics) – PDF
• Hepatitis A Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Hepatitis virus panel (Medical Encyclopedia)