Hepatitis natural history, complications and prognosis

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Classification Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatitis D Hepatitis E Alcoholic Hepatitis Autoimmune Hepatitis
Differential Diagnosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

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Natural History

Clinically, the course of acute hepatitis varies widely from mild symptoms requiring no treatment to fulminant hepatic failure needing liver transplantation. Acute viral hepatitis is more likely to be asymptomatic in younger people. Symptomatic individuals may present after convalescent stage of 7 to 10 days, with the total illness lasting 2 to 6 weeks.

Complications

• Liver cancer
• Liver failure
• Permanent liver damage, called cirrhosis
• Esophageal varices that can bleed
• Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (fluid in the abdomen that becomes infected)

Prognosis

The prognosis varies from one type of hepatitis to another.