Which statement correctly describes acute hepatitis compared with chronic hepatitis?

• A. Acute lasts less than 6 months; chronic lasts longer than 6 months; symptoms for both are similar
• B. Acute lasts more than 1 year; chronic lasts less than 6 months
• C. Acute has completely different symptoms than chronic
• D. Chronic resolves spontaneously within 3 months

Answer: (A)

Distinguishing acute from chronic hepatitis is about how long the inflammation lasts, not a completely different set of symptoms. Acute hepatitis is defined by a course that resolves in less than about six months, while chronic hepatitis persists beyond six months. The symptoms you see with both forms are often similar because the liver injury itself drives the same systemic effects—jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and possible nausea or dark urine—regardless of duration. The key difference is the timeline and the risk of ongoing liver damage or progression to scarring with chronic disease. The other statements misstate the duration threshold or imply a different symptom pattern, which isn’t how the distinction is made.