What are the symptoms and signs of hepatitis?
From the time that an individual is exposed to hepatitis until the onset of the illness is called the incubation period. The incubation period varies, depending on the specific virus. Hepatitis A has an incubation period of about 15-45 days, while hepatitis B is from 45-160 days and hepatitis C is 2 weeks to 6 months. Many patients infected with these three hepatitis viruses have few or no symptoms of being ill. In fact, most individuals who contract hepatitis B and C have no symptoms. For those who do develop symptoms, the most common are typical flu- like symptoms including loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever, weakness, tiredness, and aching in the abdomen. Less common symptoms include dark urine, light-colored stools, fever, and jaundice (a yellow appearance to the skin and white portion of the eyes). Symptoms of fatigue, poor appetite, and nausea can last several weeks to several months. While many patients recover from viral hepatitis without any specific treatment, some pat
