Expected duration of Hepatitis A

Incubation period can be defined as the time period between exposure to microbes (bacteria or viruses) and development of signs or symptoms of a disease. For viral hepatitis, the incubation period is the time period between exposure to a virus that causes hepatitis and development signs or symptoms of hepatitis.

After the hepatitis A virus enters your body, it begins to multiply within the liver cells. The virus can also spread to the other organs and tissues such as bile, intestines, blood and stool. The average incubation period of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) is 28 days (can range from as short as 15 days or as long as 45 days). Factors which influence the incubation period include the number of virus particles consumed and immunity of the person. If only a few viruses infect a person the symptoms take longer to develop.

A person with HAV infection becomes contagious early in the incubation period and remains contagious for about 7-8 days after developing jaundice (that is yellow discolouration of the skin or eyes). The most contagious period of hepatitis A infection is during the middle of the hepatitis A incubation period. So one becomes contagious well before the symptoms appear.

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