Hepatitis A Signs and Symptoms

Possible signs and symptoms of hepatitis A include jaundice, fatigue, nausea, and stomach pain. However, not everyone who has hepatitis A will have symptoms. The likelihood appears to be related to a person's age (for example, most children under age six who become infected do not have symptoms). If symptoms are present, they usually appear suddenly.

Hepatitis A Information

An Introduction to Signs and Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Not everyone who is infected with hepatitis A with develop signs and/or symptoms of the disease. The likelihood of having hepatitis A symptoms is related to the infected person's age. For example, in children under six years of age, most (70 percent) have no signs or symptoms. If they do occur in these children, they usually do not last more than two months.

The average hepatitis A incubation period (the time between infection and when signs and symptoms appear) is 28 days (although it can take anywhere from 15 to 45 days).

Specific Hepatitis A Symptoms

If signs and symptoms of hepatitis A are present, they usually occur abruptly. Possible indications include:

Feeling very tired
Yellowing of the skin or eyes (also called jaundice)
Not feeling very hungry
Stomach pain
Dark urine
Nausea
Diarrhea
Low-grade fever.

How Long Do Symptoms Last?

The signs and symptoms of hepatitis A usually last less than two months.

Up to 10 percent of people with symptoms are ill for as long as six to nine months.

The overall rate of death from a hepatitis A infection is 0.3 percent. However, the rate is 1.8 percent among adults 50 years of age or older.