In honor of World Hepatitis Day, we’d like to share some facts about Hepatitis B with you.
Hepatitis B is a liver (hepato-) infection (-itis) caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the HBV gets into the body of an uninfected human being.
It is estimated by CDC that 700,000–1.4 million persons in the United States have chronic hepatitis B.
Transmission:
- Sexual intercourse with a person infected with HBV
- Injection drug use that involves sharing needles, syringes, or drug-preparation equipment
- Birth from an infected mother
- Contact with blood or open sores of an infected person
- Needlestick injury or sharp instrument exposures
- Sharing potentially sharp items such as razors with an infected person
Signs and symptoms:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Dark urine
- Clay-colored bowel movements
- Joint pain
- Jaundice
Persons with chronic HBV infection might be asymptomatic, have no evidence of liver disease, or have a spectrum of disease ranging from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer).
Treatment:
- Acute: treatment is usually supportive
- Chronic: several antiviral drugs (adefovir dipivoxil, interferon alfa-2b, pegylated interferon alfa-2a, lamivudine, entecavir, and telbivudine) are prescribed followed by regular checkups.
- Vaccination: Although it is not a treatment, vaccination is worth following. Injection schedule comprises of 3 intramuscular injections, the second and third doses administered 1 and 6 months, respectively, after the first dose.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that the following persons be vaccinated against Hepatitis B:
- All infants, beginning at birth
- All children aged <19 years who have not been vaccinated previously
- Susceptible sex partners of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive persons
- Sexually active persons who are not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship (e.g., >1 sex partner during the previous 6 months)
- Persons seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease
- Men who have sex with men
- Injection drug users
- Susceptible household contacts of HBsAg-positive persons
- Health care and public safety workers at risk for exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids
- Persons with end-stage renal disease, including predialysis, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and home dialysis patients
- Residents and staff of facilities for developmentally disabled persons
- Travelers to regions with intermediate or high rates of endemic HBV infection
- Persons with chronic liver disease
- Persons with HIV infection
- Unvaccinated adults with diabetes mellitus who are aged 19 through 59 years (discretion of clinicians for unvaccinated adults with diabetes mellitus who are aged ≥60 years)
- All other persons seeking protection from HBV infection — acknowledgment of a specific risk factor is not a requirement for vaccination
Some important facts to remember:
- HBV can survive outside the body for at least 7 days and still be capable of causing infection.
- Any blood spills — including dried blood, which can still be infectious — should be cleaned using 1:10 dilution of one part household bleach to 10 parts of water for disinfecting the area. Gloves should be used when cleaning up any blood spills.
- Symptoms begin an average of 90 days (range: 60–150 days) after exposure to HBV.
- HBV is not spread through food or water, sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, hand holding, coughing, or sneezing.
The simple formula of 1,2,3 (three shots of immunization) on 0,1,6 months is the best way in which we can prevent this infection apart from direct contact with the already infected source. After all, it is better to “prevent and prepare than repent and repair.”
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I found out on 25th March 2016 that I am a carrier of the hepatitis B virus. I am from Oman and was on a scholarship studying in Canada when I found out through medical test to extent my visa. The university asked me to go back home for treatment. Now I am at home and the doctor says my liver is affected and viral load is high and am at risk, so I require medication and stated there is no cure or medication. I and my family are devastated by this news. I hope I can get back to my studies as the scholarship gave me 12 months to get better. I hope that one day there will be a cure for this disease. But God send this healer to me a Dr from MED LAB, who i was directed to by a family friend, the Dr deliver the medicine to me through UPS and with guideline on how to use it after a period of days i went for test i was totally negative, please my advice is for you to contact them via this email: [email protected]
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I just found out last month that I have Hepatitis B. I am a nurse and have been for many years. I have lost up to 30 pounds since the end of last year. My appetite was terrible. I had nausea and vomiting, which is something I very rarely have. On December 7th I started taking Hepatitis B natural herbal formula i purchased from Best Health Herbal Centre and 1 week later I could feel a change in energy,vomiting stopped totally and better sleep and I felt alive again!last week my doctor confirmed am Hepatitis B free totally,now am back to normal life ..please don’t fail to contact Best Health Herbal Centre for Hepatitis B natural herbal formula .(ww w .besthealthherbalcentre. com)
I was looking for some Hepatitis B articles to read over lunch today (yes, I’m a nerd like that) when I found your excellent article:
It might make a nice addition to your article
Either way, keep up the awesome work!
Cheers
Medixo Centre
So many hepatitis B patients are still yet to believe that hepatitis B got cure, I’m a living testimony, I have nothing to gain lying or trying to mislead people, I will be 78 next year and I have live a happy life and have families from mine generation, while saying these, is for you to believe this my hepatitis B testimony and take it very serious, I got cured of this disease that restricted me from traveling out of my own country because is a transferable disease but today I’m 100% cured and become hepatitis B negative with the help of this specialist [email protected] contact them with no fear and get your health back to negative of all virus.