Can hepatitis B be treated completely?
Most adults with hepatitis B recover fully, even if their signs and symptoms are severe. Infants and children are more likely to develop a chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B infection. A vaccine can prevent hepatitis B, but there's no cure if you have the condition.
Does hepatitis B go away after treatment?
Hepatitis B can't be cured, but it almost always goes away on its own. There are medications that can help treat long-lasting hepatitis B infections.
What are the chances of recovering from hepatitis B?
More than 90% of people who get hepatitis B as adults ultimately recover from their symptoms.
How long it will take to fully recover from hepatitis B?
Most people who have a mild illness will recover completely within four to eight weeks but, in more severe cases, recovery can take several months. Rarely, acute hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage and in very rare cases it can be fatal.
Can you live a normal life with hepatitis B?
The most important thing to remember is that hepatitis B is a chronic medical condition (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) that can be successfully managed if you take good care of your health and your liver. You should expect to live a long, full life.
Can hepatitis B positive become negative?
Patients who become HBsAg negative and develop antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) are diagnosed as having resolved hepatitis B [3,4]. This is an uncommon phenomenon in chronic HBV infection. During stage HBV DNA may still be detectable by PCR in serum and more often in the liver.
How long can hepatitis B patient live?
The estimated carrier life expectancy is 71.8 years, as compared to 76.2 years among noncarriers (Figure 5). These results are consistent with other estimates, which indicate that 15% to 40% of HBV carriers die of liver complications.
Which is worse hepatitis B or C?
While hepatitis C tends to get more attention and research funding, hepatitis B is considerably more common and causes more liver-related cancer and death worldwide than hepatitis C. Combined, chronic hepatitis B and C account for approximately 80% of the world's liver cancer cases.
Can I still get hepatitis B even if I was vaccinated?
The good news is that hepatitis B is vaccine preventable. This means that after you complete the vaccine series, you cannot contract hepatitis B through any modes of transmission; you are protected for life!
Can the liver repair itself from hepatitis B?
Fortunately, the liver can function even when up to 75% of it is diseased or removed. This is because it has the amazing ability to create new liver tissue from healthy liver cells.
Should I be worried about hepatitis B?
Chronic hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer or even death. Approximately 1,800 people die every year from hepatitis B-related liver disease.
How long does hepatitis B take to damage the liver?
Seventy percent of carriers develop chronic persistent hepatitis B. Most do not appear to be ill. The remaining 30 percent of carriers experience continuous liver disease. This condition often progresses to cirrhosis and then, after 30 to 40 years, possibly to liver cancer.
How do I know I have recovered from hepatitis B?
A simple blood test can let a person know if the hepatitis B virus is in their blood or if they have successfully gotten rid of the virus. The doctor should periodically test your blood over the six-month period to monitor the health of your liver and check progress towards recovery.
Will I always test positive for hepatitis B?
Most adults who acquire HBV clear the virus within a few months, and their hepatitis B surface antigen test result will be negative after that time. Some people remain infected and continue to test positive for hepatitis B surface antigen.
What is the fastest way to cure hepatitis B?
Several antiviral medications — including entecavir (Baraclude), tenofovir (Viread), lamivudine (Epivir), adefovir (Hepsera) and telbivudine (Tyzeka) — can help fight the virus and slow its ability to damage your liver. These drugs are taken by mouth. Talk to your doctor about which medication might be right for you.
Can I still get hepatitis B even if I was vaccinated?
The good news is that hepatitis B is vaccine preventable. This means that after you complete the vaccine series, you cannot contract hepatitis B through any modes of transmission; you are protected for life!
Overview
- Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). For some people, hepatitis B infection becomes chronic, meaning it lasts more than six months. Having chronic hepatitis B increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis — a condition that permanently scars of the liver.Most adults with hepatitis B recover fully, even if their signs a…
- Nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) are compounds that mimic normal building blocks for DNA. When the virus tries to use the analogues, it is unable to make new viral particles. Examples of these agents include adefovir (Hepsera®), entecavir (Baraclude®), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV®, Heptovir®, Heptodin®), Telbivudine (Tyzeka®) and tenofovir (Viread®).
- What is Hepatitis B?Hepatitis B is a liver disease. It is caused by the Hepatitis B virus. For some people who get Hepatitis B, the virus stays in the body, causing a lifelong illness. Hepatitis B can cause serious health problems over time. These problems can include liver cancer and liver failure.How common is Hepatitis B among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs)?In th…
Treatment
- There is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B. Therefore, care is aimed at maintaining comfort and adequate nutritional balance, including replacement of fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea. Most important is the avoidance of unnecessary medications. Acetaminophen/Paracetamol and medication against vomiting should not be given.Chronic hep…
- There is no cure for acute hepatitis B. Rather, treatment is aimed at reducing the amount of virus in the body, and easing the inflammation that causes the symptoms. In rare cases, an episode of acute hepatitis B can be unusually severe. It may require hospitalization. A very small number of people with acute infection will develop liver failure. They require a liver transplant to prevent de…
- No herbs, supplements, or other alternative therapy is known to work as well as antiviral medication in slowing HBV replication and promoting liver healing in hepatitis B. At this time, no specific herb or herbal preparation is recommended. If an individual has acute hepatitis B, a health care practitioner will draw blood and examine the person periodically to see if the infection is re…
- In the updated provisional clinical opinion, ASCO recommends the following: 1. Right now, there is not enough scientific evidence to recommend screening every patient for HBV. 2. Patients should receive HBV screening if they have a high risk of HBV infection or are going to receive a cancer treatment that increases the risk of HBV reactivation. These types of treatments include anti-CD…
Symptoms
- Signs and symptoms of hepatitis B range from mild to severe. They usually appear about one to four months after you've been infected, although you could see them as early as two weeks post-infection. Some people, usually young children, may not have any symptoms.Hepatitis B signs and symptoms may include: 1. Abdominal pain 2. Dark urine 3. Fever 4. Joint pain 5. Loss of appetit…
- Most people do not experience any symptoms when newly infected. However, some people have acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks, including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. A small subset of persons with acute hepatitis can develop acute liver failure, which can lead to death.In some pe…
- If you get HBV, you may feel as if you have the flu. You may also have jaundice, a yellowing of skin and eyes, dark-colored urine, and pale bowel movements. Some people have no symptoms at all. A blood test can tell if you have it. HBV usually gets better on its own after a few months. If it does not get better, it is called chronic HBV, which lasts a lifetime. Chronic HBV can lead to cirrhosis (…
- It may be ordered you have symptoms of hepatitis such as jaundice (turning yellow), fever, fatigue, pale stools, dark urine, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In this case, the hepatitis B core antibody IgM test may be used, as it shows an early stage of infection.
Prevention
- The hepatitis B vaccine is typically given as three or four injections over six months. You can't get hepatitis B from the vaccine.The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for: 1. Newborns 2. Children and adolescents not vaccinated at birth 3. Those who work or live in a center for people who are developmentally disabled 4. People who live with someone who has hepatitis B 5. Health care w…
- The hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours. Routine infant immunization against hepatitis B has increased globally with an estimated coverage (third dose) of 84% in 2017. The low prevalence of chronic HBV infection in children un…
- There is a vaccine for HBV. It requires three shots. All babies should get the vaccine, but older children and adults can get it too. If you travel to countries where Hepatitis B is common, you should get the vaccine.
- People who are part of populations at risk for hepatitis B infection will be screened. Screening is also often done for pregnant women, infants and household contacts of hepatitis B patients, in cases of needlestick blood or body fluid exposure, and for people with HIV.
Diagnosis
- It is not possible, on clinical grounds, to differentiate hepatitis B from hepatitis caused by other viral agents, hence, laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis is essential. A number of blood tests are available to diagnose and monitor people with hepatitis B. They can be used to distinguish acute and chronic infections.Laboratory diagnosis of hepatitis B infection focuses on the detecti…
- It may be ordered if you are being screened for hepatitis B because you are donating blood or wish to become an organ donor. Hepatitis B can be transmitted by blood or by organ transplant, so donors are tested to prevent infecting recipients. It's possible to have had the infection with only mild symptoms, so many people don't realize they have had hepatitis B. This is a blood test…
- Your doctor will ask about any potential exposures to hepatitis B. This includes any illegal drug use or unprotected sexual activity. Your doctor will examine your skin, eyes, and abdomen for evidence of fluid accumulation. He or she will estimate the size of your liver.Your doctor will order blood tests. These check your liver function, and can spot liver damage. Blood tests can also co…
- Hepatitis B infection is diagnosed with blood tests. These tests can detect pieces of the virus in the blood (antigens), antibodies against the virus, and viral DNA ('viral load'). Blood tests for HBV are often done when routine blood work shows abnormal liver function tests or in patients who are at an increased risk for exposure. If a patient has had a large amount of vomiting or has not …
Cause
- Hepatitis B infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus is passed from person to person through blood, semen or other body fluids. It does not spread by sneezing or coughing.Common ways that HBV can spread are: 1. Sexual contact. You may get hepatitis B if you have unprotected sex with someone who is infected. The virus can pass to you if the person'…
- Hepatitis B is also spread by percutaneous or mucosal exposure to infected blood and various body fluids, as well as through saliva, menstrual, vaginal, and seminal fluids. Sexual transmission of hepatitis B may occur, particularly in unvaccinated men who have sex with men and heterosexual persons with multiple sex partners or contact with sex workers. Infection in adulth…
- Hepatitis B is an infectious hepatitis caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This infection has two possible phases; 1) acute and 2) chronic. The hepatitis B virus is known as a blood-borne virus because it is transmitted from one person to another via blood or fluids contaminated with blood. Another important route of transmission is from an infected mother to a newborn child, which o…
Epidemiology
- Hepatitis B prevalence is highest in the WHO Western Pacific Region and the WHO African Region, where 6.2% and 6.1% respectively of the adult population is infected. In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, the WHO South-East Asia Region and the WHO European Region, an estimated 3.3%, 2.0% and 1.6%% of the general population is infected, respectively. 0.7% of the p…
- About two-thirds of people with chronic HBV infection are chronic carriers. These people do not develop symptoms, even though they harbor the virus and can transmit it to other people. The remaining one third develop \"active\" hepatitis, a disease of the liver that can be very serious.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that over 350 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HBV. 1. Worldwide, hepatitis B is the most common cause of hepatitis. 2. In many high-prevalence countries, 10% or more of the population have chronic hepatitis B infection. 3. High-prevalence regions include sub-Saharan Africa, most of Asia and the Pacific isl…
- Liver disease related to hepatitis B remains an important public health concern and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. It also presents a common challenging problem for practicing physicians.Hepatitis B is found throughout the world, but its prevalence varies greatly; it is especially high in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the South Pacific, as well as in specific populatio…
Transmission
- In highly endemic areas, hepatitis B is most commonly spread from mother to child at birth (perinatal transmission), or through horizontal transmission (exposure to infected blood), especially from an infected child to an uninfected child during the first 5 years of life. The development of chronic infection is very common in infants infected from their mothers or befor…
- The virus is transmitted by parenteral route via infected blood or body fluids. Transmission mostly occurs: 1. Through vaginal or anal intercourse. As a result of blood-to-blood contact (eg, sharing of needles and other equipment by injecting drug users, or 'needlestick' injuries). 2. Transfusion-associated infection is now rare in the UK, as blood donations are screened. Viral inactivation of …
- How is Hepatitis B spread?Hepatitis B is spread when blood or other body fluid infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected. This can happen through multiple ways, including getting Hepatitis B from an infected mother at birth or from a family member as a young child. Many AAPIs living with Hepatitis B got infected as infants or young ch…
Complications
- Having a chronic HBV infection can lead to serious complications, such as: 1. Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). The inflammation associated with a hepatitis B infection can lead to extensive liver scarring (cirrhosis), which may impair the liver's ability to function. 2. Liver cancer. People with chronic hepatitis B infection have an increased risk of liver cancer. 3. Liver failure. Acute liver fail…
- 1. Fulminant hepatic failure. 2. Relapse. 3. Prolonged cholestasis. 4. Chronic hepatitis. 5. Cirrhosis: patients with decompensated cirrhosis should be treated in specialised liver units, as treatment with antiviral therapy is complex and these patients may need liver transplantation. 6. HCC - there is high risk of this in some non-cirrhotic patients, including African patients over the …
- The majority of adults who contract hepatitis B will recover from their acute hepatitis infection and not require treatment. If the virus is present in the blood for more than six months, it is considered a chronic hepatitis B infection.A small minority of adults will develop chronic hepatitis B. For children, an opposite pattern exists: the majority of infants and children who contract hep…
Risk Factors
- Hepatitis B spreads through contact with blood, semen or other body fluids from an infected person. Your risk of hepatitis B infection increases if you: 1. Have unprotected sex with multiple sex partners or with someone who's infected with HBV 2. Share needles during IV drug use 3. Are a man who has sex with other men 4. Live with someone who has a chronic HBV infection 5. Ar…