Hepatitis A history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]
Overview
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) can produce either asymptomatic or symptomatic infection in humans after an average incubation period of 28 days (range: 15--50 days)[1]. Symptoms of hepatitis A commonly include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice.
History and Symptoms
Symptoms of hepatitis A typically last less than 2 months, but 10%-15% of patients are still symptomatic, or have relapses, up to 6 months after the onset of disease.
Unlike other types of Hepatitis, HAV is always acute.
The case-fatality rate for HAV infection increases with age: 1.8% for adults older than 50 years of age, compared with 0.6% for persons below 50 years. The case-fatality rate is also increased among persons with chronic liver disease, who are at increased risk for acute liver failure.[2]
Symptoms
Some patients, particularly young children, are asymptomatic.
When symptoms are present, they usually occur abruptly and can include the following:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Dark urine
- Clay-colored bowel movements
- Joint pain
- Jaundice
Children younger than 6 years of age typically do not show jaundice, while more that 70% of older patients do.
References
- ↑ Krugman S, Giles JP (1970). "Viral hepatitis. New light on an old disease". JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association. 212 (6): 1019–29. PMID 4191502. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help);|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ Williams I, Bell B, Kaluba J, Shapiro C. Association between chronic liver disease and death from hepatitis A, United States, 1989--92 [abstract no. A39]. IX Triennial International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease. Rome, Italy, April 21--25, 1996.