Hepatitis Prevention: Do You Know The Symptoms?

If you think you might have hepatitis, it’s important to know the symptoms so you can get treated early. With proper treatment, you can often avoid serious liver damage. There are different types of hepatitis, and each has different symptoms. The most common types are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A symptoms tend to appear suddenly, about 4 weeks after you’re infected. For some people, they may not have any symptoms at all.

When symptoms do occur, they can include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Clay-colored bowel movements
• Joint pain
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B symptoms are similar to those of hepatitis A, but they tend to be milder and last longer. You may not have any symptoms when you first get infected. If you do, they usually appear 3 to 6 months after you’re infected and can last up to 6 months.

Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Clay-colored bowel movements
• Joint pain
• Jaundice

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C symptoms are often mild and can take weeks, months, or even years to appear. When they do, they can include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Body aches
• Loss of appetite

Chronic hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV is a blood-borne virus that is transmitted through exposure to blood or body fluids of an infected person. HCV is a serious health concern because it can lead to chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Most people with HCV do not have symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are often mild and can include fatigue, general ill-feeling (malaise), pain in the upper right abdomen, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). These symptoms can occur months to years after HCV infection.

Chronic hepatitis C is diagnosed with a blood test that looks for HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. HCV RNA is the genetic material of the virus. If HCV antibodies are present, it means you have been infected with HCV. If HCV RNA is present, it means the virus is actively replicating in your liver and you have chronic hepatitis C.

There is no vaccine for HCV. The only way to prevent HCV infection is to avoid exposure to blood or body fluids of someone who is infected. People who are at risk for HCV infection should be tested for HCV antibodies.