Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. Most hepatitis B infections clear up within 1-2 months without treatment. When the infection lasts more than six months, it can develop into chronic hepatitis B, which can lead to:

·       Chronic inflammation of the liver

·       Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)

·       Liver cancer

·       Liver failure

·       Death

Causes

Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus. This virus is spread through contact with body fluids of an infected person, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and saliva. A woman infected with hepatitis can pass the virus on to her baby during childbirth.

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. Coming in contact with the blood or other body fluids of someone infected with hepatitis B increases your risk for infection. Unlike the hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus is not spread through contaminated food or water.

The following situations may increase your risk of getting hepatitis B:

·       Having sex with someone infected with hepatitis B or who is a carrier of hepatitis B

·       Injecting illicit drugs, especially with shared needles

·       Having more than one sexual partner

·       Being a man who has sex with men

·       Living in the same house with someone who is infected with hepatitis B

·       Having a job that involves contact with body fluids, such as:

o  First aid or emergency workers

o  Funeral directors

o  Medical personnel

o  Dentists

o  Dental assistants

o  Firefighters

o  Police personnel

·       Having a sexually transmitted disease at the time you come in contact with hepatitis B

·       Traveling to areas where hepatitis B is common, such as China, southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa

·       Receiving a blood transfusion prior to 1975 (the year a test to screen blood was developed)

·       Receiving multiple transfusions of blood or blood products, as hemophiliacs do (risk is greatly reduced with careful blood screening)

·       Working or being a patient in a hospital or long-term care facility

·       Working or being incarcerated in a prison

·       Being bitten so that the skin is broken by someone whose saliva contains the virus

·       Being a hemodialysis patient

Symptoms

Symptoms usually appear within 25 to 180 days following exposure to the virus. The most common symptoms are:

·       Yellowing skin and eyes (jaundice)

·       Fatigue that lasts for weeks or even months

·       Abdominal pain in the area of the liver (upper right side)

·       Loss of appetite

·       Nausea

·       Vomiting

·       Joint pain

·       Low-grade fever

·       Dark urine and light-colored stool

·       Widespread itching

·       Rash

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Hepatitis B is diagnosed with blood tests, which are also used to monitor its effects on the liver. For chronic cases, a liver biopsy may be needed. A biopsy is the removal of a sample of liver tissue for testing.

Treatment

The symptoms of hepatitis B can be treated with medication. Patients with uncomplicated cases can expect to recover completely. Patients with chronic hepatitis B are treated with medication to reduce the activity of the virus and prevent liver failure.

Medications include:

·       Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A) injection

·       Lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) oral medication

Chronic hepatitis B patients should avoid anything that can further injure the liver. These include:

·       Alcohol

·       Certain medications, dietary supplements, and herbs (Discuss these substances with your doctor before taking them.)

Chronic hepatitis B patients should prevent the spread of their infection by:

·       Telling their doctors, dentists, and sexual partner(s) that they have hepatitis B

·       Never donating blood, organs, or tissue

·       Discussing their hepatitis B status with their doctor during pregnancy or before becoming pregnant to insure the baby receives treatment

Prevention

Hepatitis B can be prevented through vaccination, which consists of three injections over a six-month period. Protection is not complete without all three injections. Anyone at increased risk for hepatitis B should be vaccinated.

In addition, to prevent the transmission of hepatitis B:

·       Use condoms or abstain from sex

·       Limit your number of sexual partners.

·       Do not inject drugs. If you use IV drugs, get treatment to help you stop. Never share needles or syringes.

·       Do not share personal items that might have blood on them, such as:

o  Razors

o  Toothbrushes

o  Manicuring tools

o  Pierced earrings

·       If you get a tattoo or body piercing, make sure the artist or piercer properly sterilizes the equipment. You might get infected if the tools have someone else's blood on them.

·       If you are a health care or public safety worker:

o  Get vaccinated against hepatitis B.

o  Always follow routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other sharp instruments.

·       Wear gloves when touching or cleaning up body fluids on personal items, such as:

o  Bandages

o  Band-aids

o  Tampons

o  Linens

·       Cover open cuts or wounds.

·       Use only sterilized needles for drug injections, blood testing, ear piercing, and tattooing.

·       If you are pregnant, have a blood test for hepatitis B. Infants born to mothers with hepatitis B should be treated within 12 hours after birth.