Symptoms of Hepatitis B Infection:
Symptoms of hepatitis B infection typically appear 60 to 120 days after exposure to the virus. However, these symptoms only manifest in 50% of infected adults, and the likelihood is even lower in infants and children. Some individuals may experience severe symptoms after contracting the virus.
Possible symptoms include:
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
- Dark urine (similar to the color of tea).
- Light-colored stools.
- Flu-like symptoms (loss of appetite, general weakness, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting).
- Fever, headache, and joint pain.
- Skin rash or itching.
- Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen.
- Intolerance to fatty foods and cigarettes.
These symptoms do not appear in the majority of patients infected with this virus, but they are more common among adults newly infected with hepatitis B. The only way to determine if you have the virus is through a specific blood test.
From the book “100 Questions About the Liver” by Professor Dr. Gamal Shiha, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Egyptian Liver Foundation and Chairman of the Education and Scientific Research Committee in the House of Representatives.