What U Need To Know

Hepatitis
means

inflammation of the liver.

Certain drugs, some

diseases, heavy alcohol use,

bacterial and viral

infections and toxins can all

cause Hepatitis.
Hepatitis

is also the name of a family

of viral infections that affect

the liver; the most common

types are
Hepatitis A,

Hepatitis B
, and Hepatitis

C.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE

HEPATITIS B?

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea

• Jaundice (yellow

color in the skin or

eyes)

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE

HEPATITIS B?

• Vomiting

• Abdominal pain

• Dark urine

• Clay
‐colored bowel

movements

• Joint pain

HOW SOON AFTER EXPOSURE DO

SYMPTOMS APPEAR?

• On average, symptoms appear 90 days (or 3

months) after exposure, but they can appear any

time between 6 weeks and 6 months after

exposure.

HOW LONG DO ACUTE HEPATITIS SYMPTOMS LAST?

• Symptoms usually last a few weeks, but some people

can be ill for as long as 6 months.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC

HEPATITIS?

Some people have ongoing symptoms

similar to acute hepatitis B, but most

individuals with chronic hepatitis B remain

symptom free for as long as 20 or 30 years.

About 15%–25% of people with chronic

hepatitis B develop serious liver conditions,

such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or

liver cancer.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF

CHRONIC HEPATITIS?

Even as the liver becomes diseased, some

people still do not have symptoms,

although certain blood tests for liver

function might begin to show some

abnormalities.

CAN A PERSON SPREAD HEPATITIS B

WITHOUT HAVING SYMPTOMS?

Yes. Many people with chronic hepatitis B

virus infection do not know they are

infected since they do not feel or look sick.

However, they still can spread the virus to

others and are at risk of serious health

problems themselves.