What are the symptoms of Hepatitis B?
Most people do not experience any symptoms during the acute infection phase. After first becoming infected with the hepatitis B virus:
You may have no symptoms You may feel sick for a period of days or weeks You may become very ill (called fulminant hepatitis)
If your body is able to fight off the hepatitis B, any symptoms that you had should go away over a period of weeks to months.
Some people's bodies are not able to completely get rid of the hepatitis B. This is called chronic hepatitis B. Many people who have chronic hepatitis B have few or no symptoms. They may not even look sick. As a result, they may not know they are infected. However, they can still spread the virus to other people. Symptoms may not appear for up to 6 months after the time of infection. Early symptoms may include:
Appetite loss Abdominal pain Extreme fatigue Fever, low-grade Muscle and joint pain Nausea and vomiting Dark urine Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
People with chronic hepatitis may have no symptoms, even though gradual liver damage may be occurring. Over time, some people may develop symptoms of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
More than 90% of healthy adults who are infected with the hepatitis B virus will recover and be completely rid of the virus within 6 months. </s>