Hepatitis-B

Woman has Suffering from Liver Cancer Due to Hepatitis-B

What causes hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

How does HBV spread?

HBV is found in the blood or certain body fluids. The virus is spread when blood or body fluid from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not infected. This can occur in a variety of ways including:

• Unprotected sexual contact
• Sharing drugs, needles, or "works" when using drugs
• Tattooing and body piercing
• Poor infection control practices in medical settings
• Needle sticks or sharps exposures on the job
• From mother to baby during birth
• Contact with wounds or skin sores
• When an infected person bites another person
• Pre-chewing food for babies

HBV particles can be found on objects, even in the absence of visible blood. The virus can remain infectious and capable of spreading infection for at least seven days outside the human body.

HBV is not spread through food or water, sharing eating utensils, hugging, kissing, coughing, and sneezing or by casual contact, such as in an office or factory setting.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?
About 7 out of 10 adults who become infected with HBV develop symptoms. Children under age 5 years rarely have symptoms. When people have symptoms, they usually appear between 45 and 160 days after onset of infection. People who have symptoms generally feel quite ill and might need to be hospitalized.

Symptoms of hepatitis B might include the following:

• Yellowing of skin and whites of eyes
• Dark-colored urine
• Loss of appetite or nausea
• Bloated and tender belly
• Extreme tiredness
• Fever
• Pain in joints

Do people fully recover?
Most people who get infected as adults will fully recover. However, about 4 of 100 people will remain infectious and carry HBV in their bodies for life. This is called chronic infection. People with chronic HBV infection should not be excluded from work, school, play, childcare, or other settings.

The majority of people with chronic HBV infection feel healthy and do not develop serious problems related to the infection; however, about 25% will develop cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver failure, and liver cancer later in life.

How serious is infection with HBV?
Hepatitis B can be very serious. Infection with HBV can cause life-long (chronic) infection that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Many people in the United States die every year from hepatitis B-related liver disease. Fortunately, there is a vaccine to prevent this disease.

How does a person know if s/he has HBV infection?
Only blood tests can tell whether or not a person is currently infected and whether or not a person has been infected in the past. If the tests indicate a person has been infected in the past, testing will also determine whether the person has developed protective antibodies to the virus or whether they still have virus in their blood.

Is there a medication to treat hepatitis B?
There are several FDA-approved medications that might help a person who has chronic HBV infection. These medications don't usually get rid of the virus, but they might decrease the chance of the infected person developing severe liver disease. Not every infected person is a candidate for these medications. Researchers continue to seek additional treatments for hepatitis B. There is no treatment (other than supportive care) for people with acute hepatitis B.

What should you do if you have been exposed to HBV?
If you think you've been exposed to HBV, contact your doctor or clinic without delay. If you have not been vaccinated, it is recommended that you receive treatment with hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), a blood product containing protective HBV antibodies. You should also get the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible, preferably at the same time as the HBIG is given. Following this, you will need to complete the full hepatitis B vaccine series.

Can you get hepatitis B more than once?
No.