Hepatitis B: Causes, Risk Factors, Symptoms, Prevention, Complications, Lifestyle And Home Remedies

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 causes permanent scarring of the liver.

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Most people infected with hepatitis B as adults recover fully, even if their signs and symptoms are severe. Infants and children are more likely to develop a chronic hepatitis B infection. A vaccine can prevent hepatitis B, but there's no cure if you have it. If you're infected, taking certain precautions can help prevent spreading HBV to others.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:  

Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
prevention
Complications
Lifestyle and home remedies
Coping and support

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of hepatitis B, ranging from mild to severe, usually appear about one to four months after you've been infected. Signs and symptoms of hepatitis B may include: 

• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness and fatigue
• Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

 

CAUSES

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.

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Common ways HBV is transmitted include:

Sexual contact. You may become infected if you have unprotected sex with an infected partner whose blood, saliva, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body.

Sharing of needles. HBV is easily transmitted through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood. Sharing intravenous (IV) drug paraphernalia puts you at high risk of hepatitis B.

Accidental needle sticks. Hepatitis B is a concern for health care workers and anyone else who comes in contact with human blood.

Mother to child. Pregnant women infected with HBV can pass the virus to their babies during childbirth. However, the newborn can be vaccinated to avoid getting infected in almost all cases. Talk to your doctor about being tested for hepatitis B if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant.

 

Acute vs. chronic hepatitis B

Hepatitis B infection may be either short-lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic).

 

Acute hepatitis B infection lasts less than six months. Your immune system likely can clear acute hepatitis B from your body, and you should recover completely within a few months. Most people who acquire hepatitis B as adults have an acute infection, but it can lead to chronic infection.

Chronic hepatitis B infection lasts six months or longer. When your immune system can't fight off the acute infection, hepatitis B infection may last a lifetime, possibly leading to serious illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

 

The younger you are when you get hepatitis B — particularly newborns or children younger than 5 — the higher your risk the infection becoming chronic. Chronic infection may go undetected for decades until a person becomes seriously ill from liver disease.

 

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:

• Have unprotected sex with multiple sex partners or with someone who's infected with HBV
• Share needles during intravenous (IV) drug use
• Are a man who has sex with other men
• Live with someone who has a chronic HBV infection
• Are an infant born to an infected mother
• Have a job that exposes you to human blood
• Travel to regions with high infection rates of HBV, such as Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe

 

COMPLICATIONS

Having a chronic HBV infection can lead to serious complications, such as:

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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.

 

LIFESTYLE AND HOME REMEDIES

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:

• Newborns
• Children and adolescents not vaccinated at birth
• Anyone who has a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV
• Developmentally disabled people who live in an institutional setting and staff
• Health care workers, emergency workers and other people who come into contact with blood
• Men who have sex with men
• People who have multiple sexual partners
• People with chronic liver disease
• People who inject illicit drugs
• People who live with someone who has hepatitis B
• People with end-stage kidney disease
• Sexual partners of someone who has hepatitis B
• Travelers planning to go to an area of the world with a high hepatitis B infection rate
• Take precautions to avoid HBV

Other ways to reduce your risk of HBV include:

 

Know the HBV status of any sexual partner. Don't engage in unprotected sex unless you're absolutely certain your partner isn't infected with HBV or any other sexually transmitted infection.

Use a new latex or polyurethane condom every time you have sex if you don't know the health status of your partner. Remember that although condoms can reduce your risk of contracting HBV, they don't eliminate the risk.

Stop using illicit drugs. If you use illicit drugs, get help to stop. If you can't stop, use a sterile needle each time you inject illicit drugs. Never share needles.

Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing. If you get a piercing or tattoo, look for a reputable shop. Ask about how the equipment is cleaned. Make sure the employees use sterile needles. If you can't get answers, look for another shop.

Ask about the hepatitis B vaccine before you travel. If you're traveling to a region where hepatitis B is common, ask your doctor about the hepatitis B vaccine in advance. It's usually given in a series of three injections over a six-month period.

 

COPING AND SUPPORT

If you've been diagnosed with hepatitis B infection, the following suggestions might help you cope:

 

Learn about hepatitis B. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a good place to start.

Stay connected to friends and family. You can't spread hepatitis B through casual contact, so don't cut yourself off from people who can offer support.

Take care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep.

Take care of your liver. Don't drink alcohol. Don't take prescription or over-the-counter drugs without consulting your doctor. Get tested for hepatitis A and C. Get vaccinated for hepatitis A if you haven't been exposed.

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