约85%的甲型肝炎患者3个月内临床和生化指标可完全恢复,在6个月内几乎所有患者可恢复健康。[46]Koff RS. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of hepatitis A virus infection. Vaccine. 1992;10 (suppl 1):S15-S17.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1335649?tool=bestpractice.com在大约10%-20%的有症状患者,可表现为一个长期的、反复发作的过程,即长达几个月的持续发热,皮肤瘙痒,腹泻,黄疸,体重减轻,以及吸收不良。[6]World Health Organization. Hepatitis A. 2000. http://www.who.int/ (last accessed 27 March 2017).http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/hepatitis/WHO_CDS_CSR_EDC_2000_7/en/[18]Cuthbert JA. Hepatitis A: old and new. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2001;14:38-58.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC88961/?tool=pubmedhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11148002?tool=bestpractice.com[19]Atkinson W. Hepatitis A. In: Epidemiology and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases. 8th ed. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2005:177-189.甲肝病毒感染后,在<1%病例会经历暴发性病程,黄疸的加重和肝性脑病为其典型特点。年龄在5-14岁之间报告病例的死亡率为0.6%,年龄15-39岁之间的病例死亡率为0.1%,年龄40-59岁之间为0.8%,而在60岁以上的病例死亡率为1.5%。[24]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis surveillance: report number 60. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, CDC; 2005.