Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver and can lead to long term health problems. While hepatitis B usually goes away and the body heals itself once the virus is gone, in some cases it can become a chronic illness and cause permanent damage to the liver. This is common among babies and small children who contract this illness.http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/hepatitis-b-topic-overview

Acute hepatitis B normally lasts approximately 3 to 6 months. It usually does not need any treatment, but a medical professional will still need to monitor the functions of the liver. Those with chronic hepatitis B may have symptoms or they may not show any signs or symptoms of the virus, but the cells produced by the body to fight the virus can cause liver damage. Chronic patients may also be carriers of the virus even if they have no symptoms themselves.http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000279.htm

Because patients with hepatitis B may exhibit no symptoms of this disease, it often goes undetected and then will clear up with no medical attention. However, some suffers will experience symptoms that are comparable to a flu, such as exhaustion, loss of appetite, fever and aches.http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/hepatitis-b-topic-overview

Hepatitis is spread through sexual activity, contact with infected blood, needles and childbearing.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-b/DS00398/DSECTION=causes If someone has a short lived bout of hepatitis B, it is no longer contagious once the disease-fighting antibodies kick in (usually after a matter of weeks). This is not so with long term hepatitis B patients.http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/hepatitis-b-cause

It is important to contact a health care professional at once if you believe that you have been exposed to hepatitis B. You may be given an immune globulin that can guard against the development of the disease if administered within 24 hours. In addition, the only way to find out for certain if you have contracted hepatitis B is through blood testing.http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepb-guide/hepatitis-b-cause

If you have already contracted hepatitis B, it may be treated with antiviral medications that can retard the progress of the illness and help ensure that permanent liver damage does not occur. In extreme cases, a liver transplant may be advised.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-b/DS00398/DSECTION=treatments%2Dand%2Ddrugs

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have hepatitis B, please make sure to consult your doctor.