HEPATITIS B VIRUS

                              What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver . Most adults who get it have it for a short time and then get better. This is called acute hepatitis B.

Sometimes the virus causes a long-term infection, called chronic hepatitis B. Over time, it can damage your liver. Babies and young children infected with the virus are more likely to get chronic hepatitis B.

You can have hepatitis B and not know it. You may not have symptoms. If you do, they can make you feel like you have the flu. But as long as you have the virus, you can spread it to others.

What causes hepatitis B?

It's caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person., Alcohol, smoking etc.

You may get hepatitis B if you:

• Have sex with an infected person without using a condom.
• Share needles (used for injecting drugs) with an infected person.
• Get a tattoo or piercing with tools that weren't sterilized.
• Share personal items like razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.

What are the symptoms?

• Feeling very tired.
• Mild fever.
• Headache.
• Not wanting to eat.
• Feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting.
• Belly pain.
• Tan-colored bowel movements (stools).
• Dark urine.
• Yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice). Jaundice usually appears only after other symptoms have started to go away.

Can hepatitis B be prevented?

The hepatitis B vaccine is the best way to prevent infection. The vaccine is a series of 3 or 4 shots. Adults at risk and all babies, children, and teenagers should be vaccinated.

A combination vaccine (Twinrix) that protects against both hepatitis B and hepatitis A also is available.

To avoid getting or spreading the virus to others:

• Use a condom when you have sex.
• Don't share needles.
• Wear latex or plastic gloves if you have to touch blood.
• Don't share toothbrushes or razors.
• Don't get a tattoo, or make sure that the needles used have been cleaned properly and are sterile.

Complications

• 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.
• Liver cancer. People with chronic hepatitis B infection have an increased risk of liver cancer.
• Liver failure. Acute liver failure is a condition in which the vital functions of the liver shut down. When that occurs, a liver transplant is necessary to sustain life.
• Other conditions. People with chronic hepatitis B may have kidney disease, inflammation of blood vessels or anemia.