Hepatitis B
Alternate Names : Serum Hepatitis
What are the signs and symptoms of the infection?
With acute hepatitis B, symptoms can vary. In fact, sometimes there are no
symptoms. This is called subclinical hepatitis. Hepatitis B can also cause
symptoms similar to other types of hepatitis, such as:
nausea
jaundice. This skin yellowing
usually lasts a week or 2 and is accompanied by darkened urine.
malaise, or a vague feeling of
illness
fatigue
pain in the upper right of the stomach
hypoglycemia, or low blood
sugar
diarrhea
mild
fever
a somewhat enlarged and tender liver
weight
loss as a result of loss of appetite
These symptoms may last 1 to 3 months. Only half of
the people with hepatitis B will develop jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and
eyes. The liver can be mildly enlarged and tender. There are usually no other
physical signs.
Symptoms of chronic hepatitis B infection also vary. There may not
be any symptoms, or possibly only
fatigue. There can be occasional worsening of symptoms that may
resemble
acute hepatitis. Persons with chronic hepatitis may develop cirrhosis, a long-term condition in which the
normal
tissue of the liver is replaced by scar tissue. Cirrhosis can lead to the following:
spider angiomata, which are small, red dots on the skin containing tiny
blood vessels
palmar erythema, which is redness on the palms of the hands
blood clotting problems
ascites, an abnormal collection
of fluid in the abdomen
jaundice
intestinal bleeding
edema, or swelling of the skin
change in mental status or level of consciousness
liver
cancer
Rarely, acute fulminant hepatitis, which involves severe liver cell destruction
and loss of liver function, occurs. It can be fatal. Symptoms include:
an enlarged, painful liver
enlarged spleen
severe
jaundice
susceptibility to bleeding
encephalopathy, a disorder in the functioning of the brain
aplastic
anemia in rare cases.
Aplastic anemia is a condition in which the bone marrow cannot make enough red
and white blood cells.
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