Microbiology
A virus.
Epidemiologic Risks
Fecal-oral. Eat human stool, get Hepatitis A. There are often outbreaks associated with foods and restaurants and I assume all foods have a thin layer of human and/or animal stool on. As an example, there is was an outbreak from frozen Turkish pomegranate arils (PubMed). That is why you should only eat deep-fried food.
There are the occasional waterborne outbreaks.
Syndromes
HIV patients have a milder illness but a more prolonged course.
Treatment
None. But there is a vaccine to prevent the disease.
Post Exposure prophylaxis: IVIG within 2 weeks of exposure. Dose is 0.02 mL/kg. The vaccine is almost as good (4.4% got Hep A) as IVIG (3.3% got Hep A) in preventing disease is given with 2 weeks (PubMed).
Notes
Last update: 09/23/19