Hepatitis A Symptoms in Men and Women

Hepatitis A is the inflammation of the liver caused by the A type virus and is commonly known as infectious hepatitis. Hepatitis A symptoms may appear from two to seven weeks after a person has been exposed to the infection-causing virus. Transmission of this virus is through the enteric or fecal route. According to the page on National Digestive Diseases on the website of US Department of Health and Human Services 1, Hepatitis A is spread primarily through food or water contaminated by feces from an infected person but on rare occasions, it can spread through contact with infected blood. Usually the symptoms can continue for four to eight weeks even though sometimes Hepatitis A can relapse after around six months. The following are some of the most common symptoms of Hepatitis A in men.

1. Perhaps the most noticeable symptom of Hepatitis A is jaundice. This refers to the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by the collection of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow or brown colored bile pigment and its levels in blood rises when a person is infected with Hepatitis A.
    
2. Since Hepatitis A virus attacks the digestive system of the human body, an infected person will display many of the symptoms of digestive upset like nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In some cases he/she may experience abdominal discomfort and even pain.
    
3. Hepatitis A also presents many of the symptoms of the flu. Thus a person infected with this virus may experiences low-grade fever, fatigue and sometimes pain in the muscles and joints. A fever is usually the result of a body’s normal response to fight off an attack from infection-causing germs. The body tries to manufacture antibodies in order to kill the virus and some experts believe that many antibodies work better at higher temperatures.
    
4. Yet another typical symptom of Hepatitis A is pain in the liver. This is because the infection causes the liver to be enlarged and tender. Men who don’t know that their liver is affected may feel the pain originating on the right side of the abdomen and under the rib cage since it is here that the liver is located.
    
5. Persons infected by Hepatitis A virus frequently experience dark colored urine and lighter, clay-colored stools.

The above symptoms in adults usually resemble a stomach flu whereas in children less than six years the signs may be mild and not very noticeable. However around 15% of people who contract Hepatitis A may display symptoms around six to nine months after the first infection occurred. The relapse is usually not any more serious than the first time but sometimes arthritis can occur with it. In most cases after the infection goes away, the person returns to normal health. However in rare cases, cholestatic hepatitis can occur and is marked by severe itching through the period of the infection. This happens when the tiny channels that carry bile from liver cells become inflamed and blocked and as a result bile can't flow from the liver to the gallbladder. Apart from being a complication of Hepatitis A, cholestatic hepatitis can also be caused by gallstones or other blockages in the system. However Hepatitis A does not lead to liver cancer or liver cirrhosis.

While the above are the most common symptoms of Hepatitis A, confirmation of the infection usually requires certain diagnostic tests. Among these, the blood test is the most common which and hepatitis A serology can be performed in order to diagnose and confirm the particular type of infection.

Then again liver function tests may also be required in order to see how well the liver is functioning. These check the level of liver enzymes, transaminases and cholestatic enzymes, bilirubin and liver protein levels but cannot always accurately access all of the many and varied functions that the liver is responsible for in the human body.

Some tests check for levels of liver proteins as a consequence of Hepatitis A. In these albumin, prothrombin, and immunoglobulins, proteins made by the liver are checked and abnormal levels are indicative of severe liver disorder.

However liver biopsy remains one of the main and most accurate diagnostic procedures that can determine what is wrong with the liver and how badly it has been damaged. For this a small sample is obtained under a local anesthetic and the results are useful for showing up any abnormalities.

Fortunately , Hepatitis A is believed to be the least serious form of the disease since the patient never goes on to experience the chronic or acute ill effects associated with other kinds of hepatitis. Usually Hepatitis A resolves on its own and no specific treatment is required. Unless the infected person has pre-existing liver diseases or has developed other complications, he/she goes on to make a full recovery.

References:

1. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse - Hepatitis