Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV is one of five types of viral hepatitis. The others are hepatitis A, C, D, and E. Each is a different type of virus, and types B and C are most likely to become chronic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that around 3,000 people in the United States die each year from complications caused by hepatitis B. It’s suspected that 1.4 million people in America have chronic hepatitis B.

HBV infection can be acute or chronic:

Acute hepatitis B causes symptoms to appear quickly in adults. Infants infected at birth rarely develop only acute hepatitis B. Nearly all hepatitis B infections in infants go on to become chronic.
Chronic hepatitis B develops slowly. Symptoms may not be noticeable unless complications develop.

Is hepatitis B contagious?

Hepatitis B is highly contagious. It spreads through contact with infected blood and certain other bodily fluids. Although the virus can be found in saliva, it’s not spread through sharing utensils or kissing. It also doesn’t spread through sneezing, coughing, or breastfeeding. Symptoms of hepatitis B may not appear for 3 months after exposure and can last for 2–12 weeks. However, you are still contagious, even without symptoms. The virus can live outside the body for up to seven days.

Possible methods of transmission include:

• Direct contact with infected blood
• Transfer from mother to baby during birth
• Being pricked with a contaminated needle
• Intimate contact with a person with HBV
• Oral, vaginal, and anal sex
• Using a razor or any other personal item with remnants of infected fluid

Risk for hepatitis B:

Certain groups are at particularly high risk of HBV infection. These include: • healthcare workers
• Men who have sex with other men
• People who use IV drugs
• People with multiple sex partners
• People with chronic liver disease
• People with kidney disease
• People over the age of 60 with diabetes
• Those traveling to countries with a high incidence of HBV infection

Symptoms:

Symptoms of acute hepatitis B may not be apparent for months.
However, common symptoms include:

• Fatigue • dark urine
• Joint and muscle pain
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Abdominal discomfort
• Weakness
• Yellowing of the whites of the eyes (sclera) and skin (jaundice)

Diagnosis:

Doctors can usually diagnose hepatitis B with blood tests.

Screening for hepatitis B may be recommended for individuals who:
• Have come in contact with someone with hepatitis B
• Have traveled to a country where hepatitis B is common
• Have been in jail
• Use IV drugs
• Receive kidney dialysis
• Are pregnant

Treatments:

Talk to your doctor immediately if you think you have been exposed to hepatitis B within the last 24 hours. If you have not been vaccinated, it may be possible to prevent infection by receiving the hepatitis B vaccine and an injection of HBV immune globulin. This is a solution of antibodies that work against HBV.

Regards,
Alex

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