Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. Most people who suffer from it start feeling better at some point, which is called acute hepatitis.
Sometimes the infection can last for a long time. This is called chronic disease. This can damage your liver over time. Infants and young children infected with the virus are more likely to get chronic hepatitis.
The strange thing about this infection is that you may have this disease and may not even know it. This is because it is possible that its symptoms may not be visible. And if they appear, they are like flu symptoms. But even in this situation, you can infect the people around you with this.
Symptoms of Hepatitis B
The following are the symptoms of hepatitis B:
- Feeling very tired
- Mild fever due to virus
- Headache
- Lack of desire to eat food
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain is also one of its main symptoms
- Your stool may appear dark in color
- The color of your urine also appears to be dark
Yellowing of the eyes and skin Jaundice usually only develops when other symptoms worsen.
Most people with chronic hepatitis B do not have any symptoms.
Causes of Hepatitis B
This disease virus is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood and bodily fluids.
You can get hepatitis B if:
- You have made physical relations with an infected person without protection.
- Sharing a needle with an infected person
- Perform analgesia with unclean equipment
- Shared use of personal items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person
An infected mother can pass this disease virus to the baby during reproduction. Medical experts always recommend that all pregnant women get the test for this disease. If you have the virus, your baby can be vaccinated against it.
You do not become infected with this disease by hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing food or drink.
Click Here to read more about Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B risk factors
This disease is easily spreading through contact with the affected blood, semen, or other body fluids of an infected person. Most chance of risk of this disease infection is increasing in you:
- You have sex with multiple people or have unprotected sex with someone infected with this disease.
- Sharing needles during injectable drug use, some men have sex with other men.
- If you live with someone who has a chronic disease infection
- An infant born to an infected mother
- Do a job that requires you to have contact with human blood.
- Travel to areas with high disease infection.
Types of Hepatitis B
Depending on the time the virus is present in your blood, you can have an acute or chronic disease.
Acute hepatitis B
Most adults get this disease for a short time and get better after some time. This is called Acute Hepatitis B. You have the acute disease for up to six months after being infected. Its chances of damaging the liver are very low.
Chronic hepatitis B
Sometimes this virus can cause a long-term liver infection known as chronic hepatitis B. It can damage the liver. Infants and young children infected with the virus are at higher risk of chronic hepatitis. This Chronic disease occurs when infected with the virus for more than six months. It happens to only a few people. However, it is a serious condition and can lead to chronic liver damage (cirrhosis).
Click Here to read more about Liver Cirrhosis
Prevention of Hepatitis B
To avoid acquiring or spreading the virus to others
- Use a condom while having sex
- Do not use used needles
- Always try to wear latex or plastic gloves if you have to touch blood
- Do not share toothbrush or razor
- Do not get tattoos; if you do, ensure that the needle used for analgesia is clean and sterile.
Vaccine
The vaccine for this disease is the most effective way to provide protection and prevent this infection. This vaccine is 95% effective against this disease if you receive 3-4 injections in a series of vaccinations.
The vaccine protects you against infection for at least 20 years. A combination vaccine [Twinrix] for hepatitis A and B is also available.
There is a special recommendation for some people to get vaccinated. For example – people involved in health care, people who have sex with more than one person, and people suffering from certain diseases.
Diagnosis of Hepatitis B
The following tests are done for this disease –
Blood Test
Your doctor can tell whether you have ever had this type of disease. It is detected through a blood test. It also gives information about whether you have been vaccinated or not.
Liver Biopsy
If your doctor thinks you suffer from liver damage that occurs with this disease, they use a needle to remove a small sample of your liver to test. This is called a liver biopsy.
Hepatitis B surface antigen test
The hepatitis B surface antigen test shows if you are contagious or not. A positive result means that you have this disease and can spread the virus; a negative result means that you do not currently have the disease. This test does not tell the difference between chronic and acute infection. This test is used with other disease tests to determine the status of disease infection.
Hepatitis B core antigen test
The Hepatitis B Core Antigen Test tells whether you are currently infected with this disease. A positive result means that you have an acute or chronic disease. It can also mean that you are recovering from this disease.
Hepatitis B surface antibody test
The hepatitis B surface antibody test checks for immunity to this disease. A positive result means that you are immune to this disease. There are two possible reasons for a positive test of this disease – one is that you get vaccinated, are cured of acute infection, and are no longer infected.
Hepatitis B Treatment
How to treat acute hepatitis B
It is important to receive this treatment within 7 days after being injected with a needle and within 2 weeks after sexual contact that may have contracted the virus. When starting this disease, you get treatment, and it works better.
If you have symptoms of an acute infection, antiviral medication treatment is unnecessary. Treatment is generally done at home – such as eating well, consuming plenty of fluids, and avoiding alcohol and drugs.
In some cases of the patient, doctors give some medicine to treat an acute infection. But the drug is usually not used unless the person is very ill.
Treating Chronic Hepatitis B
Treatment depends on how active the virus is in your body and the likelihood of liver damage. The goal of treatment is to prevent liver damage by preventing the virus from multiplying. Antiviral drugs are used if the virus is active and you are at risk of liver damage. It slows down the multiplication ability of the virus.
Not everyone with chronic infection is given antiviral treatment. If you are a victim of this disease, consult your doctor immediately. Please do not take any medicine or treat yourself without consulting them.
Hepatitis B Complications
What are the other diseases caused by Hepatitis B?
Chronic infection is generally leading serious complications of liver disease, such as:
Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis)
Inflammation caused by hepatitis B infection can scar the liver, which can reduce the liver’s ability to function.
Liver cancer
People with chronic hepatitis B infection are at increased risk of liver cancer.
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is when the liver stops performing vital functions. When this problem happens, there is one, and only way is liver transplant is necessary to sustain life.
Other circumstances
People with chronic virus infection can develop kidney disease and inflammation of the blood vessels or anemia.
