What should you know about skin hepatitis B symptoms?

Hepatitis B affects the liver and may cause no noticeable symptoms. When symptoms occur, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes can happen when bile pigments build up. Dark urine, pale stools, nausea, reduced appetite, discomfort under the right ribs, joint aches or fatigue may accompany it. Itching can occur with jaundice, while easy bruising may reflect changes in liver function or another cause. These features are not specific to hepatitis B, so a skin change cannot identify the infection by itself.

Arrange medical assessment if yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, persistent fatigue or unexplained bruising develops. Tell the clinician about possible blood or sexual exposure, household contact, travel, tattoos, injections and your vaccination history. Testing may include hepatitis B blood tests and a liver function test. Avoid sharing razors or toothbrushes and use protection during sex until advice is available. Do not donate blood while an infection is being considered.

Seek urgent care for confusion, extreme sleepiness, repeated vomiting, severe abdominal swelling, vomiting blood, black stools, heavy bleeding or rapidly worsening yellowing. Sudden facial swelling or breathing difficulty after an exposure is an emergency for a different reason and needs immediate help. If a recent exposure is known, contact a clinician promptly because time-sensitive assessment may be appropriate.

Which hepatitis tests do I need, and when should they be repeated? Could another liver or skin problem explain these changes? Do I need a liver function test or specialist review? Should household or sexual contacts discuss vaccination or testing?