Hepatitis B is a liver disease. It is 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

Hepatitis

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This virus is spread through contact with body fluids of an infected person. Fluids include:

• Blood
• Semen
• Vaginal fluids
• Saliva

A woman with hepatitis can pass the virus onto her baby during birth. The hepatitis B virus is not spread through 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:
  • First aid or emergency workers
  • Funeral directors
  • Medical personnel
  • Dentists
  • Dental assistants
  • Firefighters
  • 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 1992 (the year a more reliable test to screen blood was developed)
• Receiving multiple transfusions of blood or blood products, as hemophiliacs do (risk is greatly reduced with modern blood screening techniques)
• 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
• Receiving hemodialysis treatment

These may appear about 25-180 days after you are exposed 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

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Hepatitis B is diagnosed with blood tests. These blood tests 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.

The symptoms can be treated with medicine. If you have an uncomplicated case, you can expect to recover completely.

If you have chronic hepatitis B, you may be treated with medicine. This will help to reduce the activity of the virus. It can also prevent liver failure.

Medicines include:

• Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A) injection
• Lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) oral medicine
• Adefovir (Hepsera) oral medicine
• Entecavir (Baraclude) oral medicine

If you have chronic hepatitis B, you should avoid anything that can further injure the liver, including:

• Alcohol
• Certain medicines, dietary supplements, and herbs (discuss them with your doctor before taking)

To prevent spreading infection to others if you have chronic hepatitis B:

• Tell your doctors, dentists, and sexual partner(s) that you have hepatitis B
• Do not donate blood or organs for transplant.
• Discussing your hepatitis B status with your doctor during pregnancy or before becoming pregnant to insure the baby receives treatment