Which hepatitis virus is transmitted via the fecal-oral route and has a vaccine available?

Which hepatitis virus is transmitted via the fecal-oral route and has a vaccine available?

• A. Hepatitis A
• B. Hepatitis B
• C. Hepatitis C
• D. Hepatitis D

Answer: (A)

Fecal-oral transmission with a vaccine available is the clue. Hepatitis A is spread when people ingest food or water contaminated with the virus from an infected person, a pattern common in areas with limited sanitation or during outbreaks linked to contaminated food like shellfish. There is an effective hepatitis A vaccine that provides protection and is routinely recommended for travelers and at-risk populations. The other hepatitis viruses are not primarily spread by the fecal-oral route: hepatitis B and D are transmitted through blood and bodily fluids (D requires hepatitis B infection), and hepatitis C is mainly blood-borne and currently has no widely used vaccine.

Fecal-oral transmission with a vaccine available is the clue. Hepatitis A is spread when people ingest food or water contaminated with the virus from an infected person, a pattern common in areas with limited sanitation or during outbreaks linked to contaminated food like shellfish. There is an effective hepatitis A vaccine that provides protection and is routinely recommended for travelers and at-risk populations. The other hepatitis viruses are not primarily spread by the fecal-oral route: hepatitis B and D are transmitted through blood and bodily fluids (D requires hepatitis B infection), and hepatitis C is mainly blood-borne and currently has no widely used vaccine.