What are the signs or symptoms of hepatitis D?
Hepatitis D occurs only as a co-infection with hepatitis B virus and usually makes the hepatitis B infection more severe. The earliest symptoms are nausea, loss of appetite, joint pains, and tiredness. There may be fever (not marked) and an enlarged liver may cause discomfort or actual pain in the right upper part of the abdomen. Later, jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes that occurs when the liver is no longer able to eliminate certain pigmented substances) may develop. People with both HBV and HDV are more likely to have sudden, severe symptoms, called fulminant hepatitis. Those who are infected with both HBV and HDV are at greater risk for developing serious complications associated with chronic liver disease. People infected with HBV and HDV may become chronically infected and may be contagious from time to time for the rest of their lives.
