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You are here : Healthopedia.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Diseases and Conditions > Hepatitis: Symptoms & Signs

Hepatitis

Alternate Names : Viral Hepatitis

Hepatitis | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring | Pictures and Images | Attribution


What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?

Symptoms partly depend on the type of hepatitis and the degree of inflammation and infection. In many cases, no symptoms are present. Signs and symptoms may include:

  • jaundice, or yellowing of the skin
  • darkened urine
  • nausea
  • loss of appetite
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • light-colored stools
  • abdominal pain in the upper right part of the stomach
  • malaise, or a general feeling of illness
  • fatigue
  • hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar
  • mild low grade fever
  • muscle aches and pains
  • In a rare but severe form of hepatitis called acute fulminant hepatitis, symptoms are associated with signs of liver failure, including:

  • an enlarged and tender liver
  • enlarged spleen
  • susceptibility to bleeding
  • encephalopathy, which is a disorder that affects how the brain functions
  • changes in mental status and level of consciousness
  • ascites, which is an accumulation of fluid inside the abdomen
  • edema, or swelling under the skin
  • aplastic anemia, a condition in which the bone marrow cannot make blood cells

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    Hepatitis: Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

     

    Hepatitis: Diagnosis & Tests

    Author: Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
    Reviewer: Barbara Mallari, RN, BSN, PHN
    Date Reviewed: 07/13/01









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    Page Last Updated: 30th May, 2006