Hepatitis B

Hepatitis is a very common disease, and it has five types, which are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver. In most cases, this inflammation is acute and lasts less than 6 months, but in some cases, the inflammation might last for more than 6 months and become chronic.

Hepatitis B is the most common liver infection, and it affects one in every three people worldwide. Moreover, it affects children more than adults, and 5% of adults develop chronic inflammation, while 30% of children who are younger than 5 years old develop the chronic disease.

Causes of hepatitis B

The infection is transmitted through body fluids between an infected person and another one who isn’t, and that’s done through:

• Sexual connection.
• Needles.
• Open wounds.
• From the mother to her baby during childbirth.

Symptoms of hepatitis B

The symptoms of hepatitis B might be mild or severe and usually manifest within 1-4 months after getting infected. Usually, the symptoms appear in the acute condition, but they could also appear in the chronic one. The symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Loss of appetite.
• Abdominal pain.
• Fatigue and weakness.
• Joint pain.
• Jaundice.
• Darker urine and stool.
• Swelling in the abdomen, arms, and legs and fluid retention.

Complications of hepatitis B

• When the immune system can’t defeat the virus of hepatitis B, the disease changes from acute to chronic. This condition occurs more in people whose immune systems are weak like HIV patients, children, people who have another infection, and people who are taking immunosuppressants or chemotherapy.
• Reactivated hepatitis B, which means that the immune system becomes weak against the virus of hepatitis B after having it the first time, and that makes managing it again harder.
• Hepatitis D, which is a viral infection that affects people with hepatitis B only.
• Cirrhosis, which means excessive scarring in the liver that stops it from functioning.
• Liver failure.
• Liver cancer.
• Kidney failure or blood vessel inflammation.

Diagnosis of hepatitis B

• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests.
• Liver biopsy.

Management of hepatitis B

• When suspected of having hepatitis B, you must get vaccinated in addition to getting antibodies.
• In acute infection, most patients don’t need treatment and there isn’t a specific treatment for the disease, rather, it’s managed with rest and good nutrition, IV fluids, and painkillers.
• In the chronic infection, the patient must be monitored continuously and given some antiviral medications in addition to other medications to boost the immune system and help it fight the disease. You must know that there isn’t a cure for chronic hepatitis B, but these patients are given these treatments for the rest of their lives.
• Follow a healthy lifestyle and exercise.
• If the liver is severely damaged, the patient might need a liver transplant.

Prevention of hepatitis B

• Vaccines.
• Not sharing personal items.
• Paying attention when traveling to infected areas.
• Paying attention to sexual connections.
• Paying attention with needles like tattoos and such things.