Acute Hepatitis
Clinically, the course of acute hepatitis varies widely from mild symptoms requiring no treatment to fulminant hepatic failure needing liver transplantation. Acute viral hepatiti9 are more likely to be asymptomatic in younger people. Symptomatic individuals may present after convalescent staga of 7 to 10 days, with the total illness lasting 2 to 6 weeks.
Initial features are of nonspecific flu-like symptoms, common to almost all acute viral infections and may include malaise, muscle and joint aches, fever, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. More specific symptoms, which may be present in acute hepatitis from any cause are: proformal loss of appetite, aversion to smoking among smokers, urine, yellowing of the eyes and skin (i.e. jaundice) .n»l abdominal discomfort. Physical findings are usually minimal apart from jaundice (33 per cent) and tender hepatomni11 (10 per cent). There can be occasional lymphadenopalli I-per cent) or splenomegaly (5 per cent)
Chronic Hepatitis
Majority of patients will remain asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, abnormal blood tests being the only manifestation. Features may be related to extent of liver damage or the cause of hepatitis. Many experience return of symptoms related to acute hepatitis. Jaundice can be a late feature and may indicate extensive damage. Other features include abdominal fullness from enlarged liver or i.pleen, low grade fever and fluid retention (ascites). Extensive i I.image and scarring of liver i.e. cirrhosis leads to weight loss, easy bruising and bleeding tendencies. Acne, abnormal menstruation, lung scarring, inflammation of the thyroid MI-UKI and kidneys may be present in women with auloimmune hepatitis. Findings on clinical examination are i IM i.illy those of cirrhosis or are related to aetiology.
Types of Hepatitis
Most cases of acute hepatitis are due to viral infections:
* Hepatitis A.
* Hepatitis B.
* Hepatitis C.
* Hepdtitis B with D.
* Hepdtitis E.
* Hepdtitis F (existence unknown).
* Hepdtitis G.
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