How Can You Tell If You Have Hepatitis B

Vaccination And Other Prevention Measures

Vaccination is a safe and effective way of preventing the spread of hepatitis B. Since 1985, the hepatitis B vaccine has been part of the national immunisation schedule. In 1988, New Zealand was one of the first countries to introduce universal infant hepatitis B immunisation.The vaccine is given to babies at age six weeks, three months, and five months. Babies born to mothers with hepatitis B receive an extra dose of the vaccine at birth as well as a dose of hepatitis B-specific immune globulin.In children and adolescents who did not receive the hepatitis B vaccine in the first year of life, the full three-dose course is recommended.Hepatitis B immunisation is recommended and publicly funded for all infants and children up to their 18th birthday, household and sexual contacts of people with acute or chronic hepatitis B, and certain other high-risk populations. Measures that can help prevent the spread of the hepatitis B virus include:

• Teaching children not to touch the blood or wounds of others
• Covering cuts, scratches, and grazes
• Not sharing personal items such as razors and toothbrushes
• Never sharing needles or syringes if you use intravenous drugs
• Practising safe sex, including the use of condoms
• Seek assurance that body piercing and tattooing needles and equipment are sterile.

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How Do You Get Hepatitis B

The virus that causes hepatitis B lives in blood, semen, and other fluids in your body. You usually get it by having sex with someone whos infected.

You also can get it if you:

• Have direct contact with infected blood or the body fluids of someone whos got the disease, for instance by using the same razor or toothbrush as someone who has hepatitis B, or touching the open sores of somebody whos infected.
• If youre pregnant and youve got hepatitis B, you could give the disease to your unborn child. If you deliver a baby whos got it, they need to get treatment in the first 12 hours after birth.

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Prevent Hepatitis B Infections In Newborns

If you are pregnant and have hepatitis B, talk with your doctor about lowering the risk that the infection will spread to your baby. Your doctor will check your virus levels during pregnancy. If virus levels are high, your doctor may recommend treatment during pregnancy to lower virus levels and reduce the chance that hepatitis B will spread to your baby. Your doctor may refer you to a liver specialist to find out if you need hepatitis B treatment and to check for liver damage.

When it is time to give birth, tell the doctor and staff who deliver your baby that you have hepatitis B. A health care professional should give your baby the hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG right after birth. The vaccine and HBIG will greatly reduce the chance of your baby getting the infection.

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Can Sti Be Cured

There are quite a few STI that can be treated and cured with antibiotics, or a combination of antibiotics. Herpes and HIV cant be cured, but they can be treated effectively. Other STI, such as hepatitis B and HPV can be prevented with vaccines.

However, some STI, including gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to antibiotic resistance. This means these infections may become untreatable someday because antibiotics may no longer work.

This Is The Reason Why Hepatitis Is Also Known As A Silent Killer

According to Mitra Keluarga Hospitals, there are more than 780.000 new cases of hepatitis being reported every year in Indonesia. Thats roughly 3 out every 1000 people in Indonesia alone.

This issue is even more apparent with the recent announcement from the World Health Organization of the spread of mysterious acute hepatitis cases on 23 April 2022. This acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology has even reached Indonesia and as of 11 May 2022, 5 people have died from this disease while many more similar suspected cases are still awaiting lab results related to this disease.

While most hepatitis is treatable, and even curable, there are many cases when people missed the early symptoms for too long and only find out about their diseases when the damage are already too severe.

To avoid this, it is never too late to learn more about hepatitis and its symptoms.

So, read this article carefully and it might just protect you and your loved ones from this silently deadly disease.

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How Many People Have Hepatitis B

In the United States, an estimated 862,000 people were chronically infected with HBV in 2016. New cases of HBV infection in the United States had been decreasing until 2012. Since that time, reported cases of acute hepatitis B have been fluctuating around 3,000 cases per year. In 2019, 3,192 cases of acute hepatitis B were reported however, because of low case detection and reporting, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there were 20,700 acute hepatitis B infections. New HBV infections are likely linked to the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States.

Globally, HBV is the most common blood-borne infection with an estimated 296 million people infected according to the World Health Organization .

If I Have No Symptoms How Would I Know If I Have Hepatitis B

To confirm whether or not you have hepatitis B, you will need blood tests.

If you have at least one risk factor , you should ask your health care provider to be tested for hepatitis B. Also, you should be tested for hepatitis B if:

• you were born in a region where hepatitis B is more common, including Asia, Africa, southern and eastern Europe, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, and the Arctic
• one or both of your parents immigrated from a region where hepatitis B is more common
• you live or travel to regions where hepatitis B is more common
• you have a family history of liver disease or liver cancer
• you have been in prison
• you are pregnant
• you have ever used injection drugs, even just once
• you have unexplained abnormal liver enzymes or if
• you receive medicines that suppress the immune system.

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Should I Be Screened For Hepatitis B

Screening is testing for a disease in people who have no symptoms. Doctors use blood tests to screen for hepatitis B. Many people who have hepatitis B dont have symptoms and dont know they are infected with hepatitis B. Screening tests can help doctors diagnose and treat hepatitis B, which can lower your chances of developing serious health problems.

Your doctor may recommend screening for hepatitis B if you9,14

• are pregnant
• were born in an area of the world where 2 percent or more of the population has hepatitis B infection, which includes Africa, Asia, and parts of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South America
• didnt receive the hepatitis B vaccine as an infant and have parents who were born in an area where 8 percent or more of the population had hepatitis B infection, which includes sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia
• are HIV-positive
• are a man who has sex with men
• have lived with or had sex with a person who has hepatitis B
• have an increased chance of infection due to other factors

How Long Can You Live With Hepatitis B

Most people who contract hepatitis B during adulthood fully recover within 1 to 3 months.

People with chronic hepatitis B may have a higher risk of developing long-term liver problems, like cirrhosis or liver cancer, which require treatment and may be life threatening.

Keep in mind that the risk of developing chronic hepatitis B is higher for babies and children, especially if they have not been vaccinated against the virus.

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What Are Clinical Trials For Hepatitis B

Clinical trialsand other types of clinical studiesare part of medical research and involve people like you. When you volunteer to take part in a clinical study, you help doctors and researchers learn more about disease and improve health care for people in the future.

Researchers are studying many aspects of hepatitis B, such as

• progression of hepatitis B and long-term outcomes
• new treatments for hepatitis B
• prevention of reactivated or worsening hepatitis B in people receiving cancer treatment

Treatment: Chronic Hepatitis B

The goal of treating chronic hepatitis B is to control the virus and keep it from damaging the liver. This begins with regular monitoring for signs of liver disease. Antiviral medications may help, but not everyone can take them or needs to be on medication. Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of antiviral therapy with your doctor.

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Is There A Hepatitis B Vaccine

There is a vaccine against the hepatitis B virus . It is safe and works well to prevent the disease. A total of 3 doses of the vaccine are given over several months. Hepatitis B vaccine is also produced as a combination product which includes other common childhood vaccinations. This can reduce the number of shots that a child needs at a single visit.

The following groups should be vaccinated for hepatitis B:

• All children younger than 19 years, including all newborns especially those born to mothers who are infected with HBV
• All health care and public safety workers who may be exposed to blood
• People who have hemophilia or other blood clotting disorders and receive transfusions of human clotting factors

How Long Does The Hepatitis A Vaccine Last

We dont know exactly how long the protection of the vaccine lasts, but studies have indicated that it lasts at least 20 years in some people and it could last as long as 40 years or more. Having only one dose of the recommended two-dose vaccine has shown to provide protection for at least 10 years.

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Newly Diagnosed With Hepatitis B How Did I Get This Learning The Hbv Transmission Basics

If you have just been diagnosed with hepatitis B virus then you need to understand how HBV is transmitted. This is important whether you have an acute or chronic infection. You must understand you are infectious and can transmit the virus to others.

How is hepatitis B transmitted? Hepatitis B is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood. This can happen through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, unsterile needles, unsterile medical or dental equipment, and from a HBV infected mother to her baby at birth. For kids, pediatric experts report that the fluid that oozes from cuts and open sores is also highly infectious, so keep those open cuts covered. HBV can also be transmitted inadvertently by the sharing of personal items such as razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, body jewelry and other personal items that have small amounts of blood on them.

If you do, or have participated in high-risk activities at some point in your life, you are also at greater risk. This is not a time to judge or be judged.

Treatment For Suspected Exposure

Anyone who has had potential exposure to HBV can undergo a postexposure prophylaxis protocol.

This consists of HBV vaccination and hepatitis B immunoglobin . Healthcare workers give the prophylaxis after the exposure and before an acute infection develops.

This protocol will not cure an infection that has already developed. However, it decreases the rate of acute infection.

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What Is The Follow

If an individual has acute hepatitis B, a health care practitioner will draw blood and examine the person periodically to see if the infection is resolving. If the person develops chronic hepatitis B, they will need periodic examinations and blood tests on an ongoing basis. If these tests indicate that the virus is actively damaging the liver, the healthcare practitioner may suggest a liver biopsy or begin antiviral therapy. The individual will also be given a vaccine against hepatitis A, which is an unrelated virus that may cause severe liver disease in people who already carry hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Fortunately, this is rare cancer. A blood test can be used to detect a marker for this cancer, or cancer can be detected by abdominal ultrasound. Persons with chronic hepatitis B are usually screened periodically for hepatocellular carcinoma, although it is not clear if this screening improves survival.

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Could I Give Hepatitis C To Someone Else

Yes, once you have hepatitis C, you can always give it to someone else. If you have hepatitis C, you cannot donate blood. You should avoid sharing personal items like razors and toothbrushes. It is very rare to pass hepatitis C in these ways, but it can happen. Always use a condom when you have sex. If you have hepatitis C, your sexual partners should be tested to see if they also have it.

Talk to your doctor first if you want to have children. The virus isnt spread easily from a mother to her unborn baby. But it is possible, so you need to take precautions. However, if youre trying to have a baby, do not have sex during your menstrual cycle. The hepatitis C virus spreads more easily in menstrual blood.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Hepatitis B

After the virus enters the body, there is an incubation period lasting 1.5 to 6 months until illness begins. During the acute phase most persons have no symptoms or might experience a mild illness. Symptoms of acute HBV infection, when present, may include:

• Jaundice
• Dark-colored urine, light-colored stools
• Fever

During the chronic phase hepatitis B usually progresses silently, with no symptoms at all during the first 10-20 years. Signs of severe liver scarring may include:

• Ascites
• Star-shaped vein pattern developing on the swollen belly
• Jaundice
• Easy bruising and bleeding

Chronic HBV infection can lead to serious liver disease, liver scarring , and hepatocellular cancer.

Because symptoms of hepatitis B are usually absent, persons with risk for HBV infection should be tested. If you think you have hepatitis B, or are at risk for hepatitis B, you should contact your doctor.

What Do The Results Mean

A hepatitis B blood panel consists of three tests that can be done with just one blood sample:

• Hepatitis B surface antigen . A positive test indicates that youre infected with hepatitis B and that you can spread it to other people. Further tests are needed to see if you have an acute or chronic infection.
• Hepatitis B core antibody . A positive result can indicate a past or current hepatitis B infection, but doesnt mean youre immune. A positive result needs to be interpreted by a doctor by examining the results of the other two tests.
• Hepatitis B surface antibody . A positive test indicates that youre protected from hepatitis B either through previous infection or vaccination .

The combination of these tests can indicate your hepatitis B status and whether you need to be vaccinated. Your test will give a negative or positive result for each category depending on whether your results are above or below the cutoff value.

Most peoples test results fall into the following categories. But its possible to have a result that doesnt fall into one of these groups. If youre reading your results yourself, be careful not to confuse HBsAb with HBcAb.

is associated with hepatitis B immunity after vaccination. But research has found that anti-HBs decline over time.

A found that more than 95 percent of people had anti-HBs levels greater than 10IU/L two years after vaccination. But this rate decreased to 70 percent after eight years.

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When Will Symptoms Appear After You Have Been Exposed To Hav

It generally takes about 4 weeks for symptoms to appear, but they can start at 2 weeks or they can start up to 8 weeks after you have been exposed. You probably wont get every symptom immediately, but they tend to emerge over days.

Also, you can have no symptoms and have the virus and be contagious. Children especially may be free of symptoms despite being infected.

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How Is Hepatitis B Prevented

Testing & Vaccination

• The hepatitis B vaccine offers excellent protection against HBV. The vaccine is safe and highly effective. Vaccination consists of 3 doses of vaccine over the course of 6 months. Protection lasts for 20 years to life.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children should receive hepatitis B vaccine starting at birth. .
• The CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccine for persons traveling to countries where HBV is common .
• If you have one or more risk factors for hepatitis B infection, you should get a simple HBV blood test. The blood test will determine whether you are:
• immune to hepatitis B or
• susceptible to hepatitis B and need vaccination or
• infected with hepatitis B and need further evaluation by a physician

Perinatal Hepatitis

• California law requires testing of all pregnant women for hepatitis B infection
• If the mother is HBV-infected, she will pass the infection to the baby during the birth process, unless the baby gets immunized within hours of birth
• Giving the infant HBIG and HBV vaccine right away will reliably prevent infection of the infant
• Other family members should best tested for hepatitis B too, and given vaccine if they are not already infected or immune

Healthy Habits

After Exposure to Hepatitis B

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