Learn about Hepatitis B symptoms from Consumer Reports Health.

Hepatitis B

What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?

Some people get infected with the hepatitis B virus and don't know it. But most adults who have been infected with hepatitis B get some symptoms. Common symptoms are feeling tired and losing your appetite.

About 7 in 10 of people who are infected with hepatitis B get symptoms. Adults are more likely to get symptoms than children.

Source:
Mast EE, Margolis HS, Fiore AE, et al.
A Comprehensive Immunization Strategy to Eliminate Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States.
Morbidity and Mortaility Weekly Report: Recommendations and Reports. 2005; 54: 1-31.

¹ If you do get symptoms, you get them between 6 weeks and 21 weeks after you were infected with the hepatitis B virus.

These are the most common symptoms:

Source:
World Gastroenterology Organisation.
WGO-OGME practice guideline: hepatitis B vaccination.
November 2002. Available at http://www.omge.org/globalguidelines/guide06/guideline6.htm (accessed on 24 July 2007).

Feeling tired
Losing your appetite
Getting aches and pains
Feeling sick to your stomach
Vomiting
Having urine that is darker than usual
Having a yellowish tint to your skin and the whites of your eyes (doctors call this jaundice).

Other, less common symptoms include:

Losing weight
Feeling depressed and anxious
Having a fever
Getting headaches
Having problems sleeping
Feeling itchy
Getting discomfort in the right side of your abdomen.

But your doctor can't tell if you have hepatitis B just from your symptoms. You will need to have blood tests to see if you definitely have hepatitis B. Your doctor will be able to tell from the tests if you got the infection recently or if you have been carrying the virus in your blood for some time. Your doctor will also be able to tell from blood tests if you had hepatitis B in the past but your body got rid of it.

Your doctor might also want to do another blood test to see how well your liver is working. This is because the hepatitis B virus can damage your liver. Also, if you have hepatitis B, you may have other blood tests to see if you have any other infections.

Six months after you are diagnosed, your doctor may also ask you to have a blood test to see if you still have the hepatitis B virus.

Source:
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.
What can be done about hepatitis B?
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. 2006; 44: 41-44.

Sources for the information on this page:

Mast EE, Margolis HS, Fiore AE, et al.A Comprehensive Immunization Strategy to Eliminate Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States.Morbidity and Mortaility Weekly Report: Recommendations and Reports. 2005; 54: 1-31.

World Gastroenterology Organisation.WGO-OGME practice guideline: hepatitis B vaccination.November 2002. Available at http://www.omge.org/globalguidelines/guide06/guideline6.htm (accessed on 24 July 2007).

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. What can be done about hepatitis B?Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin. 2006; 44: 41-44.

This information was last updated on Jul 25, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

The information on ConsumerReportsHealth.org should not be viewed as a substitute for a consultation with a medical or health professional. The information is meant to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it. Consumers Union can not be liable for any loss, injury, or other damages related to your use of this information.

Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.