Description

Hepatitis B is a serious infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). For most people, hepatitis B is short-term, also called acute. Acute hepatitis B lasts less than six months. But for others, the infection lasts more than six months and is called chronic. Chronic hepatitis B increases the risk of liver failure, liver cancer, and serious scarring of the liver called cirrhosis.

Most adults with hepatitis B recover fully, even if their symptoms are bad. Babies and children are more likely to develop a chronic disease, long-term hepatitis B virus infection.

A vaccine can prevent infection with the virus of hepatitis B. For those who contract the infection, the treatment depends on whether the infection is acute or chronic. Some people need medication. Other people with severe liver damage from a chronic infection that needed a liver transplant. If you are infected, taking certain safety measures can help prevent the spread of the virus to other people.

Symptoms

The symptoms of acute hepatitis B can range from mild to severe. The symptoms usually start around 1 to 4 months after you have been infected with HBV . But you can realize that as soon as two weeks after you're infected. Some people with acute or chronic infection of the hepatitis B may not have any symptoms, especially small children.

Hepatitis B, symptoms may include:

  • Pain in the area of the stomach, also called the abdomen.
  • Dark-colored urine.
  • Fever.
  • Pain in the joints.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Upset stomach and vomiting.
  • Weakness and extreme fatigue.
  • The jaundice, which is yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin. Depending on the color of the skin, this change may be more difficult or more easy to see.

When to see a doctor

If you know that you have been exposed to hepatitis B virus, call your healthcare provider immediately. A preventive treatment can reduce the risk of infection if you receive treatment within 24 hours of exposure to the virus.

If you think you have symptoms of hepatitis B, call your health care professional.

Causes

Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus passes from one person to another through blood, semen or other body fluids. It is not spread by coughing or sneezing.

Common forms of the HBV can be spread are:

  • Sexual Contact. You may get hepatitis B if you have sex with someone who is infected and to not use a condom. The virus can pass to you if the person's blood, saliva, semen, or vaginal fluids enter your body.
  • Shared use of needles. The hepatitis b virus is easily spread through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood. Share the equipment used for the injection of illicit drugs puts you at high risk of contracting hepatitis B.
  • Accidental needle. Hepatitis B is a concern for health care workers and anyone who comes in contact with human blood.
  • Pregnant person to a newborn. People pregnant women infected with HBV can pass the virus to their babies during childbirth. But the newborn can be vaccinated to avoid getting infected in almost all cases. Talk with your healthcare provider about being tested for hepatitis B if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant.

Acute or chronic hepatitis B

HBV infection can be of short duration, also called acute. Or you could take a lot of time, also known as chronic.

  • AcuteHBVinfection lasts less than six months. Your immune system can clear the virus of the hepatitis B from your body. You should recover completely within a couple of months. The majority of HBV infections, as adults, we have one of the acute infections. But this can lead to a chronic infection.
  • ChronicHBVinfection lasts for six months or more. This is stopped because the immune system can't fight off the infection. Chronic hepatitis B virus infection can last a lifetime. This can lead to serious diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Some people with chronic hepatitis B may have no symptoms at all. Some may have a course fatigue and mild symptoms of acute hepatitis.

The younger you are when you get hepatitis B, the greater your risk of the disease becoming chronic. This is especially true for newborns or children under the age of 5 years. Chronic hepatitis B may not be detected for decades, until a person is sick with a liver disease.

Risk factors

The hepatitis B virus is spread through contact with blood, semen or other body fluids of an infected person. Your risk of HBV infection increases if you:

  • Having sex without a condom with multiple sexual partners or with someone who is infected with HBV .
  • Sharing needles during drug use that is injected into a vein.
  • Born men who have sex with men.
  • Living with someone who has chronic HBV infection.
  • Is a baby born to an infected pregnant person.
  • To have a job that exposes you to human blood.
  • You have hepatitis C or HIV .
  • Receive dialysis treatment.
  • Are or have been in prison.
  • Need to take medications that can weaken the immune system, such as chemotherapy.
  • Travel to regions with high infection rates of HBV , such as Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Complications

Having a chronic HBV infection can lead to serious health problems called complications. These include:

  • The scarring of the liver, also called cirrhosis. Swelling called the inflammation is related to hepatitis B. The inflammation can lead to cirrhosis, which can prevent the liver works as it should.
  • Cancer of the liver. People with chronic hepatitis B have a greater risk of liver cancer.
  • Liver failure. Acute liver failure is a condition in which the vital functions of the liver shut down. When that happens, a liver transplant is necessary to sustain life.
  • A sudden increase in the level of hepatitis B virus.In some people with chronic hepatitis B, levels of the virus are low or they have not yet been found by the tests. If the virus begins to quickly make copies of itself, the tests can detect this increase, or find the virus. This is called the reactivation of the virus. It can lead to liver damage or even liver failure. Reactivation usually affects people who have weakened immune systems, also called suppressed immune systems. This includes people on medications that weaken the immune system, such as high doses of corticosteroids or chemotherapy. Before taking these drugs, you should get tested for hepatitis B. If the tests show that you have hepatitis B, talk to a liver specialist called a hepatologist before starting these medications.
  • Other conditions. People with chronic hepatitis B can develop kidney disease, or inflammation of the blood vessels.

A sudden increase in the level of hepatitis B virus. In some people with chronic hepatitis B, levels of the virus are low or they have not yet been found by the tests. If the virus begins to quickly make copies of itself, the tests can detect this increase, or find the virus. This is called the reactivation of the virus. It can lead to liver damage or even liver failure.

Reactivation usually affects people who have weakened immune systems, also called suppressed immune systems. This includes people on medications that weaken the immune system, such as high doses of corticosteroids or chemotherapy. Before taking these drugs, you should get tested for hepatitis B. If the tests show that you have hepatitis B, talk to a liver specialist called a hepatologist before starting these medications.

Prevention

The vaccine against hepatitis B is the main way to prevent infection with HBV . The vaccine is given as two shots of interval of one month, or three or four shots over six months. How many shots you get depends on the type of hepatitis B vaccine that is given. You cannot get hepatitis B from the vaccine.

In the united States, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that babies receive their first injection of the vaccine after birth. If you do not get the vaccine as a baby or a child, the committee recommends the vaccine for everyone over the age of 59 years. If you are 60 years of age or older and has not been vaccinated, the vaccine if you are at risk of being exposed to the hepatitis B virus. People 60 years and over who have not been vaccinated and who are not at high risk can also choose to receive the vaccine.

The vaccine against hepatitis B is recommended for:

  • Newborns.
  • Children and adolescents not vaccinated at birth.
  • Those living or working in centers for people with developmental disabilities.
  • The people who live with someone who has hepatitis B.
  • Health care workers, emergency workers and others who come in contact with the blood.
  • Any person who has a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV .
  • People who are born men who have sex with men.
  • People who have multiple sexual partners.
  • The sexual partners of someone who has hepatitis B.
  • People who inject street drugs or share needles and syringes.
  • People with chronic liver disease.
  • People with end-stage renal disease.
  • Travelers planning to go to an area of the world with a high rate of HBV infection.

Take safety measures to help prevent HBV infection

Other ways to reduce your risk of infection with the virus of hepatitis B include:

  • Know theHBVstatus of any sexual partner. Do not have sex without a condom unless you know that your partner does not have hepatitis B or another sexually transmitted infection.
  • Use a new latex or polyurethane condom every time you have sex if you don't know the health status of your partner. Condoms can reduce the risk of contracting HBV , but not get rid of the risk completely.
  • Do not use street drugs. If you use drugs, get help to quit. If you are unable to stop, use a sterile needle each time you inject drugs. Never share needles.
  • Be cautious about piercings and tattoos. If you want to get a piercing or a tattoo, look for a reputable shop. Ask about how the equipment is clean. Make sure that the employees use sterilized needles. If you can't get answers, find another shop.
  • Ask about the hepatitis B vaccine before travel. If you're traveling to a region where hepatitis B is common, ask your healthcare provider about the vaccine against hepatitis B in advance. It's usually given in a series of three injections over a period of six months.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis consists of the steps that your health professional needs to find out if you have hepatitis B. Your health care professional gives you a physical examination for symptoms of liver damage. These symptoms can include yellowing of the skin and stomach pain. The tests can help diagnose hepatitis B or its complications are:

  • Blood tests. Blood tests can detect the hepatitis B virus in your body. You can also tell your health care professional if the infection is acute or chronic. A simple blood test can also find out if you are immune to the disease.
  • Liver ultrasound. A special ultrasound called transient elastography can show the amount of liver damage.
  • The liver biopsy. Your healthcare provider can remove a small sample of your liver for the test to check for liver damage. This is called a liver biopsy. During this test, your healthcare provider inserts a thin needle through the skin and into the liver. The needle removes a sample of tissue to the lab to check.

Screening healthy people for hepatitis B

Health professionals sometimes to test certain healthy individuals for hepatitis B. This is called projection. The detection is performed by the hepatitis b virus can damage the liver before the infection causes symptoms. Talk with your health care provider about screening for hepatitis B if you:

  • You are pregnant.
  • Living with someone who has hepatitis B.
  • Have had many sexual partners.
  • Have you had sex with someone who has hepatitis B.
  • They were born men who have sex with men.
  • You have a history of a sexually transmitted infection.
  • Have HIV or hepatitis C.
  • Have a test of liver enzymes with irregular results that can't be explained.
  • Receive kidney dialysis.
  • Take medicines that suppress the immune system, such as those used to prevent rejection after an organ transplant.
  • The use of injected street drugs.
  • They are in prison.
  • He was born in a country where hepatitis B is common, including Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa and Eastern Europe.
  • Have parents or adopted children of the places where hepatitis B is common, including Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Treatment

Treatment to prevent HBV infection after exposure

If you know that you have been exposed to hepatitis B virus, call a healthcare professional immediately. It is important to know if you have been vaccinated against hepatitis B. A health care professional will ask you when you were exposed to and what type of exposure you have had.

Medicine called immune globulin may help to protect against the disease hepatitis B. You need to receive a shot of medicine within 24 hours of exposure to the virus of hepatitis B. This treatment only provides short-term protection. So you should also receive the vaccine against hepatitis B at the same time, if you have never received.

Acute treatment of HBV infection

It is possible that you may not need treatment for acute hepatitis B virus infection. The infection is short term and most often goes away on its own. A health professional may recommend:

  • Rest.
  • Proper nutrition.
  • Plenty of fluids.
  • Close monitoring while your body fights the infection.

If your symptoms are severe, you may need antiviral medication or a hospital stay to avoid complications.

The treatment for chronic HBV infection

The majority of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus infection need treatment for the rest of their lives. The decision to start the treatment depends on many factors, including if you:

  • The virus is the cause of the inflammation or scarring of the liver, also called cirrhosis.
  • You have other infections, such as hepatitis C or HIV .
  • Your immune system is weakened by the drug or the disease.

The treatment helps to reduce the risk of diseases of the liver and prevents you from passing the infection to others.

The treatment for chronic hepatitis B may include:

  • The antiviral drugs. Many of the antiviral drugs can help fight the virus and slow its ability to damage your liver. These medications include entecavir (Baraclude), tenofovir (Viread), lamivudine (Epivir) and adefovir (Hepsera). You take by mouth, most often for the long term. Your health care professional may recommend a combination of two of these drugs. Or the health professional may need to take one of these medicines with interferon to improve the response to treatment.
  • The interferon shots.Interferon is a lab-made version of a substance that the body produces to fight infection. This type of medicine includes the peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys). A benefit of interferon shots is taken during a much shorter time than they are antiviral medications oral. But the interferon has a high rate of side effects, such as upset stomach, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and depression. Interferon is mainly used for young people, people with hepatitis B do not wish to need long-term treatment. It is also used for women who want to become pregnant within a couple of years. Women should use birth control during treatment with interferon. Do not take interferon during pregnancy. Interferon also is not suitable for people with cirrhosis or acute liver failure.
  • Liver transplant. If the liver has been severely damaged, a liver transplant may be an option. During a liver transplant, the surgeon removes your damaged liver and replaces it with a healthy liver. The majority of livers transplanted from deceased donors. A small number come from living donors who donate a portion of their livers.

The interferon shots. Interferon is a lab-made version of a substance that the body produces to fight infection. This type of medicine includes the peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys). A benefit of interferon shots is taken during a much shorter time than they are antiviral medications oral. But the interferon has a high rate of side effects, such as upset stomach, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and depression.

Interferon is mainly used for young people, people with hepatitis B do not wish to need long-term treatment. It is also used for women who want to become pregnant within a couple of years. Women should use birth control during treatment with interferon. Do not take interferon during pregnancy. Interferon also is not suitable for people with cirrhosis or acute liver failure.

Other medications to treat hepatitis B are being developed.

Lifestyle and home remedies

If you have been infected with the hepatitis B virus, to take steps to protect others.

  • Make sex safer. If you're sexually active, tell your partner that you have HBV . Talk about the risk of your partner getting the virus from you. Use a new latex condom every time you have sex. Be aware that condoms reduce the risk, but does not get rid of the risk completely.
  • Tell your sexual partner to get tested. Any person I have had sex should be tested for the virus. Their partners must also know their HBV status, so as not to infect other people. If the tests show that you have been infected, you should get routine health to see if you need treatment.
  • Do not share personal care items. If the use of injected drugs, never share needles and syringes. And don't share razors or toothbrushes, as they may carry traces of infected blood.

Coping and support

If you have hepatitis B, the following tips may help you cope:

  • Learn about hepatitis B. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a good place to start.
  • Stay connected with friends and family. You cannot spread of hepatitis B through casual contact, so do not cut yourself from the people who can offer support.
  • Take care of yourself. Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
  • Take care of your liver. Do not drink alcohol or take any new medicine without talking with your health care professional in the first place. Get tested for hepatitis a and hepatitis C. get hepatitis a vaccine if you have not been exposed.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your family health care provider. You may be referred to a specialist immediately. Doctors who specialize in the treatment of hepatitis B are:

  • Doctors call gastroenterologists, that the treatment of digestive diseases.
  • The doctors called hepatologists, that the treatment of liver diseases.
  • The doctors who treat infectious diseases.

What you can do

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

  • Be aware of the restrictions before his professional check-up. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
  • Write down your symptoms, including those that do not seem to be related to the reason why you made the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Include the dose.
  • Have a family member or friend if you can. Someone who is linking to you can help you remember the information your health care team gives you.
  • Write questions to ask their health professional.

For hepatitis B, some basic questions to ask include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
  • Other that the most likely cause, what are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
  • What tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely short-or long-term?
  • Have hepatitis B damaged my liver or caused other complications, such as kidney conditions?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • There are other treatment options apart from the main treatment that I have suggested?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that must be followed?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • My family should be tested for hepatitis B?
  • How can I protect the people around me from the HBV ?
  • There is a generic version of the medicine you're prescribing?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider will likely ask questions such as:

  • When did the symptoms begin?
  • Have you ever had jaundice, symptoms, including yellowing of the eyes or clay-colored stool?
  • Has been vaccinated against hepatitis B?
  • Do your symptoms occur all the time or once in a while?
  • How bad are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
  • Have you ever had a blood transfusion?
  • Do you inject drugs?
  • You have had sex without using a condom?
  • How many sexual partners have you had?
  • Have you been diagnosed with hepatitis?
Symptoms and treatment of Hepatitis B