What Exactly is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by HBV. HBV is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is uninfected.
Hepatitis B can range from a mild, short-term, acute illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, long-term, chronic infection.
Types
Acute
Acute hepatitis B is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after exposure to HBV. Some people with acute hepatitis B have no symptoms or only a mild illness. For others, acute hepatitis B can cause a more severe illness that requires hospitalization.
Chronic
Acute hepatitis B can lead to a lifelong infection known as chronic hepatitis B. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis B can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death.
Symptoms
Most people do not experience any symptoms when newly infected.-
Some people have acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks:
yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
dark urine
feeling very tired
nausea
vomiting
pain in the abdomen.
When severe, acute hepatitis can lead to liver failure, which can lead to death.
Although most people will recover from acute illness, some people with chronic hepatitis B will develop progressive liver disease and complications like cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). These diseases can be fatal.
How it spreads
Hepatitis B is primarily spread when blood, semen, or certain other body fluids – even in microscopic amounts – from a person infected with HBV enter the body of someone who is not infected. HBV can also be transmitted through:
Birth from a person infected with HBV.
Sex with a person infected with HBV.
Sharing equipment that has been contaminated with blood from a person infected with HBV, such as needles, syringes, and even medical equipment, such as glucose monitors.
Sharing personal items, such as toothbrushes or razors, though less common.
Direct contact with the blood or open sores of a person who has hepatitis B.
Poor infection control in health care facilities.
Although the virus can be found in saliva, it is not spread through kissing or sharing utensils. Hepatitis B is not spread through sneezing, coughing, hugging, breastfeeding, or food or water.
Who is at risk
While anyone can get hepatitis B, some people are at a higher risk.
This includes:
Infants born to people with hepatitis B.
People born in certain countries where hepatitis B is common.
People born in the US who were not vaccinated as infants and whose parents were born in countries with high rates of hepatitis B.
It also includes people who have medical conditions, such as:
People who have hepatitis C.
People who have sexually transmitted infections, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
People who are on dialysis.
People who have liver damage or inflammation.
Additionally, it includes:
People who have been in jail or prison.
People who inject drugs (PWID) or share needles, syringes, or other types of drug equipment.
Sex partners of people who have hepatitis B.
Men who have sex with men.
People who live with someone who has hepatitis B.
Health care and public safety workers who are exposed to blood on the job.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B can be treated with antiviral medications.
Acute hepatitis B treatment
Currently, there's no medicine available for acute hepatitis B. If you have mild symptoms, your doctor will recommend rest, good nutrition, and fluids. If your symptoms are more severe, you may need to be hospitalized.
Chronic hepatitis B treatment
There are several medications approved to treat people who have chronic hepatitis B, and new drugs are in development. For some people with hepatitis B, these medications can prevent severe liver disease.
Chronic hepatitis B infection can be treated with oral medicines, including tenofovir or entecavir.
Treatment can
- slow the advance of cirrhosis
- reduce cases of liver cancer
- improve long term survival.
However, not every person with chronic hepatitis B needs medication, and the drugs may cause side effects in some people.
People who start hepatitis B treatment may need to take medication for the rest of their lives because these medications do not lead to a cure.
Prevention
Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent hepatitis B. The vaccine is safe and effective and available for infants, children, and adults. Remember to get all shots in the vaccination series to be fully protected against the hepatitis B virus.
Common Misconceptions About Hepatitis B
Misconception: Hepatitis B always presents with symptoms.
Reality: Many people with Hepatitis B do not experience any symptoms, especially in the early stages of the infection. This makes it important for individuals to get tested, especially if they are at higher risk due to factors such as family history or lifestyle.
Misconception: It is not safe to breastfeed if I have Hep B?
Reality: Breastfeeding is safe, hepatitis B cannot be transmitted to the baby through breast milk. Vaccination of the newborn will reduce any risk of mother-to-child transmission. If you have cracked or bleeding nipples then there is a risk of hepatitis B transmission. However, if your baby has been vaccinated against hepatitis B, then they are protected from the low risk of transmission this way.
Misconception: There is no treatment for Hepatitis B.
Reality: While there is no cure for Hepatitis B, there are effective treatments available that can help manage the infection and prevent complications. These may include antiviral medications and regular monitoring of liver function.
Misconception: Hepatitis B is a genetically transmitted disease.
Reality: Hepatitis B is not a genetically transmitted disease, it can only be transmitted from blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sexual contact, and mother to child during childbirth.