Hepatitis A is most common in countries where food and water may get contaminated due to poor hygiene
practices. However, occasional outbreaks of hepatitis A do occur in Canada. Hepatitis A does not lead to a
chronic illness, but is a potentially serious infection in the elderly and in persons who have chronic liver disease. If
you were born in a country where hepatitis A is common, you have likely already been infected with HAV. The
good news is once you have been exposed to HAV and have recovered, you will develop lifelong protection against
it which means you will never get hepatitis A again.
