Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (CDC, 2011). The virus belongs to the Heptaovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family (WHO, 2010). The virus is often found in the stools of infected people. The disease is spread by person-to-person contact or by eating contaminated food or water. The illness causes flu-like symptoms, jaundice and stomach pain. The severity of the illness varies from a mild illness that lasts only a few weeks to a severe infection that lasts several months (CIAfactbook, 2013). This virus has many risk factors. Factors include low socio-economic status, overpopulation, residing in rural areas, certain ethnic groups, poor water sources and poor sanitation (WHO, 2009). Thus, the poor status of the country of Haiti makes it a prime place for this virus to thrive among the local population. Hepatitis A is known to have four distinct clinical phases. The first stage of the disease is an incubation period that lasts between 15 and 50 days (WHO, 2009). During this stage, the infected person is asymptomatic but the virus is usually alive in the stool. The second stage is the pre-icteric stage during which the appearance of jaundice begins. The third stage is the prodromal period during which the infected person may experience abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, fatigue, malaise and fever (WHO, 2009). It is also at this stage that the classic signs of yellowing of the skin and eyes usually appear. Infected people may also have extremely dark urine and high bilirubin levels. The final stage of infection is a convalescence period during which the victim usually recovers. Currently, there is no treatment for hepatitis A. Antiviral medications may be used on a case-by-case basis. In addition to supportive care...... middle of document......://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/awardees/vaccine-management/price-list/index.html? s_cid=cs_000CDC DVH - Information for the public on hepatitis A. (2010.). Accessed May 18, 2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/Hepatitis/A/index.htmHaiti Main infectious diseases - Demographics. (2009). Accessed May 18, 2014 from http://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/major_infectious_diseases.htmlHepatitis A and Hepatitis B — History of Vaccines. (2010). Retrieved May 18, 2014 from http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/hepatitis-and-hepatitis-bHepatitis A Prevention Strategies, Haiti Case: Should Rescuers Be Immunized -Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal - 2010 - Kowsar. (2010). Accessed May 18, 2014, from http://ircmj.com/?page=article&article_id=121Turnock, B.J. (2009). Public health: what it is and how it works (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.