| Hepatitis A | Hepatitis B | Hepatitis C | Delta Hepatitis |
|---|
| Incubation | 2–6 wk | 4 wk to 6 mo | Variable: 14–160 days; average, 50 days | Same as hepatitis B |
| Communicable | Until 7–9 days after jaundice occurs | Several months—as long as virus present in blood | As long as virus present in blood | As long as virus present in blood |
| Transmission | Fecal-oral; blood; sexual | Parenteral; sexual; perinatal | Percutaneous, via contaminated blood, parenteral drug abuse; some fecal-oral forms; sexual; perinatal | Parenteral; blood |
| Sources | Crowding; contaminated: food, milk, or water | Contaminated: needles, syringes, surgical instruments | Persons who have received 15 or more blood transfusions; IV drug users; persons traveling to contaminated areas | Contaminated needles, syringes |
| Portal of entry | GI tract; asymptomatic carriers | Integumentary: blood plasma or transfusions | Blood | Integumentary: blood |
| HB antigen | Not present | Present | Not present | Present as with hepatitis B |
| Incidence | Sporadic epidemics; increased in children <15 | Increased in ages 15–29, particularly in heroin addiction; occupational hazard for: laboratory workers, nurses, physicians | All age groups; higher in adults because of exposure to risk factors | Same as hepatitis B |
 Immunity | Preexposure: immune globulin, 0.02 mL/kg | Preexposure: hepatitis B vaccine | None; immune globulin may be given | None |
| Postexposure: within 2 wk of exposure, as above Hand washing | Postexposure: immune globulin with high amounts of anti-HBs (HBIG); hepatitis B vaccine | | |
| Prevention | Hand washing, use of gloves; hepatitis A vaccine | Care when handling products contaminated by blood, use of gloves; hepatitis B vaccine | Same as hepatitis B | Same as hepatitis B |
| Severity | Mild | Mild to moderate | Mild to moderate | Moderate to severe |
| Fever | Common | Uncommon | Uncommon | Uncommon |
| Nausea/vomiting | Common | Common | Common | Common |