Hepatitis A can be transmitted through:

• A. Undercooked shellfish and polluted waters
• B. Only through air
• C. Never transmitted person-to-person
• D. Through uninfected foods only

Answer: (A)

Hepatitis A is spread mainly through the fecal-oral route, meaning the virus is shed in the feces and can contaminate food or water or surfaces that people touch. Contaminated foods, especially shellfish from polluted waters, are a common way people become infected because those shellfish can accumulate the virus from their environment. The virus can also spread when an infected person handles food without proper handwashing, passing it to others. It is not primarily airborne, and it can be transmitted from person to person through close contact, so statements that say it’s only airborne or never passed between people aren’t accurate. It’s also not limited to “uninfected foods”—foods can become contaminated by contaminated water or infected handlers.