Hepatitis B is a viral infection affecting the liver and causes inflammation. It commonly spreads when an individual comes in contact with the bodily fluid of an infected person. This infection might be chronic in some people, causing serious and long-term damage to the liver. There are several methods of prevention, but no known cure to date.
Hepatitis B starts as an acute infection that is primarily short-lived. In certain people, this infection gets chronic and never leaves the body. Long-term inflammation of your liver can cause severe damage to your liver, leading to liver failure and cirrhosis. Just like other common liver infections, you might have hepatitis B and show mild to no symptoms.
Book us onlineSo many types of viruses infect the liver, affecting its proper functioning and leading to inflammation. These viral infections include Hepatitis B, A, C, D and E. All these viral infections have different methods of transmission, how they can be prevented and their effect on the body.
Here are some differentiating features of hepatitis B and they include:
According to research, over 2 billion people around the world are infected with this viral infection. Hepatitis B is the most common liver condition affecting people across the globe. Every year, we have new reports of acute infections, of which many worsen into chronic infections.
Many people infected with this viral infection might show little to no symptoms. Those who are not asymptomatic may notice symptoms during the acute or chronic infection phases. However, whether you show symptoms or not, you can still spread the virus to others. Get tested to maintain good sexual health.
Here are some common symptoms you might notice including:
Some other symptoms of this liver disease include:
Symptoms of Hepatitis B may indicate a more severe reaction if you have an acute infection. There are cases where the Hepatitis B virus clears off without treatment, but it is strongly advised that you see a medical practitioner if you have symptoms of a liver disease.
With chronic infection, you may experience mild symptoms occasionally and may also show no symptoms until several years later. If symptoms don't appear early, you may notice liver failure due to this virus. Note that your best bet against this virus is to take periodic tests to know your sexual health status and get treated, if necessary.
The Hepatitis B virus causes this infection and spreads through bodily fluids from one person to the other. If you come in close contact with someone's infected bodily fluid, you are at high risk of becoming infected. Some ways by which this infection is transmitted include:
Hepatitis B virus can survive on external surfaces of the body for a minimum of 7 days. This makes it easy to get infected if you come in contact with sharp materials used by someone infected or unsterilized instruments.
Blood is not the only bodily fluids from which you can get this infection. The infection also lives in saliva, but transmitting the virus through saliva is much more difficult than blood. This means the chances of getting infected with hepatitis B by inhaling droplets of sneezing or coughing or sharing eating utensils is quite unlikely.
People who live in communities where this infection is rampant are at higher risk of getting infected. The more people around you who are infected, the higher your chances of getting infected. Certain communities with higher infection rates include:
If your immune system fails to resist or fight off the Hepatitis infection during the early stages, it may develop into chronic hepatitis B infection. During the acute phase, many people successfully fight off this infection. The acute phase is when the infection is introduced to your body, and your immune system raises resistance and attacks the virus. If you have symptoms after an infection, such as nausea, fever or vomiting, they are all immune responses to the infection. Your immune system is trying to eliminate the infection by burning it out, which is known as the acute phase.
The immune system might sometimes fail to fight off this infection during the acute phase. There are several reasons why this might happen. The acute phase occurs just once; if your immune system fails, you might be at risk of a chronic infection.
Some people may have weak immune responses due to the following reasons:
You may notice or experience the weakening of your immune system to the hepatitis B virus later in your life, sometimes after overcoming the infection in the acute stage. This can happen if your immune system was formerly strong, but you now have a condition or new infection weakening your immune system. When this occurs, the once subdued virus can become active once again. This stage of reactivated Hepatitis B might last for a short time or a long time. This commonly happens in people with suppressed people and can even lead to acute liver failure.
As long as the virus remains in your body, you remain contagious. For those with acute infection, it may last between a month to 6 months, and remember that throughout this duration, you are highly contagious. If you have a chronic hepatitis B virus infection, you will be infectious for your entire life span.
Most Hepatitis B complications result from chronic infection, but you may also experience complications if you have an acute infection. Very uncommon, but there are a few cases of people having an acute liver failure while having an acute infection, and this is a severe health situation requiring urgent medical assistance.
Some common complications include:
Your medical practitioner may ask you about the symptoms you are experiencing and examine you physically. Information about your health history and any past liver disease in your family or other factors that might make you susceptible to this infection.
If you have no symptoms or a known risk factor, the only way to ascertain whether you are infected is through a blood test. Certain blood tests can tell you things about your condition, such as:
Your medical professional may ask you to undergo further tests after the initial diagnosis to check the health of your liver. A liver biopsy or radiography images of your liver tissues might be examined in a lab.
If you recently got exposed to this virus, then there is a possibility that the virus might not show in your blood test. Your medical professional might be unable to tell you if you are infected with Hepatitis B but can prescribe preventive treatment.
Several treatments are available for Hepatitis B, and the treatment method depends on your healthcare practitioner and the stage of your infection.
If you have a baby and think you both might have come in contact with potential exposure, you should inform your healthcare provider. Your medical practitioner might suggest you undergo prophylactic treatment to prevent the treatment. This treatment can come in the form of:
These options are very effective for parents who pass on their chronic Hepatitis infection to their newborns to prevent the babies from being infected. Babies treated shortly after birth have a positive prognosis and can be breastfed safely.
If your medical practitioner diagnoses an acute hepatitis B infection, you may not need treatment, as many people experience hepatitis B clearing off without treatment. There is no particular treatment if you have an acute infection. For people who may show severe signs and symptoms, your healthcare practitioner will watch out for complications and provide supportive care. This may include:
A couple of medications are available to fight this infection, but your medical professional decides if a certain treatment option suits you. This will be based on your risk factors and condition. This may include:
If you show signs of active liver disease, your medical practitioner will prescribe some effective medications against Hepatitis B. Not everyone will need this, as only about 25% of people with chronic Hepatitis B will show signs of an active liver disease.
The medications help to strengthen your immune system and reduce the rate at which the virus replicates itself. This medication does not eliminate the virus but helps protect your liver and keep it healthy.
Some common types of medications include:
Making lifestyle changes alongside the medications you are given is important if you want to protect your liver. For the rest of your life, you will need to take deliberate steps to protect your liver from further harm by eating a healthy and balanced diet and avoiding alcohol. Some major causes of liver inflammation outside of viral infections include the consumption of alcohol and metabolic factors such as high triglycerides and high BMI.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic liver infection, limit your sugar, fat and alcohol intake to reduce inflammation of your liver.
If your chronic liver infection leads to liver cancer, liver failure or cirrhosis, surgery might be needed to remove some part of your liver. Your liver has the ability to regenerate itself after a small resection if there are enough healthy tissues. If a more significant part of the liver begins to fail or gets diseased, then a liver transplant will be needed to replace it. The majority of liver donations are from people who just got deceased, and there is a long wait list for these unless you have a liver donor who is alive.
Vaccination is your best bet against this infection. If vaccinated, you will have to worry less about potential exposure to this virus. This vaccination takes 6 months to a year to complete the needed 3 doses.
You can also do the following to reduce your risk including:
If you might have been accidentally exposed to this virus, your healthcare practitioner may administer hepatitis B immune globulin or a dose of vaccine to reduce your chances of getting infected. Do this within a day.
If you are not sure of your partner's status, using a polyurethane or latex condom is advisable.
Get vaccinated if you want to travel to places with high Hepatitis B infection rates.
Things such as razors, needles, toothbrushes or other items that might have come in contact with blood should be avoided.
If you get diagnosed, inform your partner about your status and advise them to get vaccinated. If they may be at risk of exposure, they should also get tested or get prophylactic treatment. Use a condom during this period while having sex.
A lot of people with this infection are asymptomatic, but it is possible to have been exposed to this infection unknowingly, either through your community or job. Early detection of this infection can help you get treatment and protect yourself and your partner.
If you use and inject intravenous drugs, then correctly dispose of these needles and thoroughly wash your hands after use to avoid contracting an infection.
During maternity care, your healthcare practitioner will carry out a series of tests, including Hepatitis B. If you have already been diagnosed, inform them about it so they can make plans to treat and protect your baby after birth from this infection.
If your infection is in the acute stage, you may not need treatment as your immune system might self-resolve. If your immune system successfully overcomes this, you won't get reinfected. Your healthcare professional would advise a blood test to see if your immune system overcame the infection. If your immune system is not strong enough to resist this acute infection, it progresses into a chronic, lifelong condition.
Chronic infection is not curable but can be managed. After you get tested, your healthcare practitioner will decide if you need treatment for the chronic infection.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic Hepatitis B infection, it is very vital that you keep in touch with a hepatologist or a gastroenterologist. Your healthcare practitioner will monitor and let you know about your progress and how to prevent further liver damage.
If you recently got exposed to Hepatitis B or feel you might be at risk of exposure, kindly feel free to call our medical professionals today to book an appointment. We would be glad to provide a diagnosis and let you know the necessary steps to take afterwards. Your health is a priority to us at STI Clinic UK.