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). Symptoms of hepatitis A include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice.

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
• Pruritus

Children younger than 6 years of age typically do not show jaundice, while more that 70% of older patients do.