Symptoms of Hepatitis B

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Many people do not have any symptoms if they contract hepatitis B, although they can still pass the virus on to others. Other people will have some symptoms, similar to those of hepatitis A. Common symptoms include: -

Flu-like symptoms (tiredness, general aches and pains, headaches and fever);
Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and diarrhoea;
Jaundice occurs because your inflamed liver is unable to remove bilirubin (a substance in the blood). This causes your skin and the whites of your eyes to become yellow. It may also turn your urine very dark bowel motions become pale. Jaundice can also cause itching;
Abdominal pain.

Very rarely, a serious acute hepatitis occurs (called fulminant hepatitis B). Symptoms include collapse, severe yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) and swelling in the abdomen. It can be fatal if not treated quickly.

Many people who acquire Hepatitis B as adults will clear the infection and become immune. However the disease is said to be â€˜chronicâ€™ when you have been infected for longer than six months. Some people are carriers, have no symptoms and remain healthy and will eventually clear the virus from their bodies. They may not know they are affected.

Others (especially babies and children) will have periodic symptoms, similar to the acute stage (fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, weight loss and jaundice) and may go on to develop irreversible scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and may eventually develop liver cancer.