What is the incubation period?
The incubation period (the amount of time that elapses between infection and the development of symptoms) varies for the different hepatitis viruses. Hepatitis A and E may develop as few as two weeks after exposure, but usually appear after four weeks. For hepatitis B and C it may take up to six months before symptoms develop. (The average incubation period is two to three months for hepatitis B and six to nine weeks for hepatitis C.) In experiments on chimpanzees, hepatitis D developed two to ten weeks after infection. — After initial exposure, HCV RNA can be detected in blood in 1-3 weeks. Within an average of 50 days (range 15-150 days), virtually all patients develop liver cell injury, as evidenced by elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The majority of patients are asymptomatic and anicteric. Only 25-35 percent develop malaise, weakness, or anorexia, and some become icteric. Fulminant liver failure following HCV infection has been reported but is a rare occurrence.
