Hepatitis refers to liver inflammation. There are several types of hepatitis caused by viruses, such as A, B or C. Acute hepatitis can be caused by such a virus or by medications, alcohol or chemicals that damage the liver. Hepatitis cases are termed acute when the condition lasts less than six months, according to NetDoctor UK. No matter what the cause, the symptoms of acute hepatitis are similar.
General Symptoms
One of the first symptoms of acute hepatitis is extreme fatigue, often accompanied by fever, headache and possibly a rash or hives. These symptoms may continue for a few days to several weeks, but fatigue may last for several months.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Liver enlargement due to inflammation causes pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. The area may be tender to the touch. Muscles and joints may be achy, as if you have the flu. Decreased appetite may be accompanied by a distaste for food. Nausea, diarrhea and vomiting also may occur. The spleen, found on the left upper quadrant of the abdomen, is enlarged in 15 to 20 percent of cases, according to the Merck Manual.
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellow tinge to the skin and the whites of the eye that also can affect the color of stools and urine. Clay-colored stools are caused by a lack of bile in the stool. Bilirubin excreted in the urine turns it brown or greenish yellow. Jaundice usually starts around the time other symptoms of acute hepatitis are starting to improve, the Merck Manual states, and it lasts several weeks. Bilirubin accumulation in the skin can cause itching.
