Symptoms and complications
Hepatitis B virus infection may either be acute (self-limiting) or
chronic (long-standing). Persons with self-limiting infection clear the
infection spontaneously within weeks to months.
Children are less likely than adults to clear the infection. More
than 95% of people who become infected as adults or older children will
stage a full recovery and develop protective immunity to the virus.
However, only 5% of newborns that acquire the infection from their
mother at birth will clear the infection. Of those infected between the
age of one to six, 70% will clear the infection.
Acute infection with hepatitis B virus is associated with acute viral hepatitis
- an illness that begins with general ill-health, loss of appetite,
nausea, vomiting, body aches, mild fever, dark urine, and then
progresses to development of jaundice.
It has been noted that itchy skin has been an indication as a possible
symptom of all hepatitis virus types. The illness lasts for a few weeks
and then gradually improves in most affected people. A few patients may
have more severe liver disease (fulminate hepatic failure), and may die as a result of it. The infection may be entirely asymptomatic and may go unrecognized.
Chronic infection with Hepatitis B virus may be either asymptomatic
or may be associated with a chronic inflammation of the liver (chronic
hepatitis), leading to cirrhosis over a period of several years. This type of infection dramatically increases the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). Chronic carriers are encouraged to avoid consuming alcohol as it increases their risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer.
