Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Sign And Symptoms Of Hepatitis B

How Common Is Hepatitis B

What are the early signs and symptoms of Hepatitis B & C? | Apollo Hospitals

Hepatitis B is fairly common in Africa and the western Pacific region. Throughout the world, there are about 292 million people who are infected with chronic hepatitis B. In the U.S., the figure exceeds 2 million people.

The number of infections had been falling in the U.S., but fewer vaccinations among adults combined with the onset of the opioid crisis and injected drug usage has resulted in the numbers rising again. Infected women can pass the infection on to their babies. Children who are infected before age 5 are more likely to have chronic infection than those infected later in life.

How Common Is It

In 2006, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported the incidence of HBV as 2.0 cases for every 100,000 or about 650 cases reported annually in Canada. In the year 2013, the incident rate was 0.5 per 100,000 . Incidence of the disease varies from region to region but has been declining due to increasing use of the vaccine and universal immunization programs.

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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Pearls And Other Issues

Hepatitis D has been long associated with HBV infections and cannot exert pathological influence without the presence of HBV infection. Two forms of infection exist coinfection and superinfection . Superinfection tends to be more severe than coinfection. Due to the preexisting hepatitis B infection, anti-HBcAg IgM is undetectable in superinfection states but can be noted in coinfection.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Hepatitis B

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The signs and symptoms of hepatitis range from mild to severe, and they usually appear about one to four months after infection, although you could see them as early as two weeks post-infection. Some people, generally young children, may not have any symptoms.

Hepatitis B signs and symptoms may include:

  • Abdominal pain
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    Who Is More Likely To Get Hepatitis B

    People are more likely to get hepatitis B if they are born to a mother who has hepatitis B. The virus can spread from mother to child during birth. For this reason, people are more likely to have hepatitis B if they

    • were born in a part of the world where 2 percent or more of the population has hepatitis B infection
    • were born in the United States, 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

    People are also more likely to have hepatitis B if they

    • are infected with HIV, because hepatitis B and HIV spread in similar ways
    • have lived with or had sex with someone who has hepatitis B
    • have had more than one sex partner in the last 6 months or have a history of sexually transmitted disease
    • are men who have sex with men
    • are injection drug users
    • work in a profession, such as health care, in which they have contact with blood, needles, or body fluids at work
    • live or work in a care facility for people with developmental disabilities
    • have been on kidney dialysis
    • live or work in a prison
    • had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before the mid-1980s

    In the United States, hepatitis B spreads among adults mainly through contact with infected blood through the skin, such as during injection drug use, and through sexual contact.12

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    Southern Cross Medical Library

    The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.

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    How Are Hepatitis B And C Treated

    • Antiviral medications, interferon injections and a liver transplant are options for treatment of ongoing infections. Not everyone will need these treatments.
    • Medicines known as direct-acting antiviral agents are now available that can lead to a cure in 8 to 12 weeks in many patients with hepatitis C, but hepatitis B may require long-term treatment.
    • There is a vaccine that is used to prevent hepatitis B infection in both adults and newborns, but there is no vaccine yet for hepatitis C.

    The newer direct-acting antiviral agents medications to treat HCV include:

    When Should You See A Doctor Or Other Healthcare Professional

    Viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, E) – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment & pathology

    Since so many people dont experience any symptoms, healthcare professionals recommend getting screened for hepatitis C at least once in your adult life. They may recommend more frequent screenings if you have a higher risk of contracting the virus.

    Hepatitis C doesnt always become severe, but the chronic form can increase your risk for liver damage, liver cancer, and liver failure.

    If you have any symptoms that suggest hepatitis C, especially if theres a chance youve been exposed, connect with a doctor or another healthcare professional as soon as possible to discuss your options for testing and treatment.

    With a prompt diagnosis, you can get treatment earlier, which may help prevent damage to your liver.

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    Prevent Infection After Contact With The Virus

    If you think you have been in contact with the hepatitis B virus, see your doctor right away. Doctors typically recommend a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine to prevent infection. In some cases, doctors may also recommend a medicine called hepatitis B immune globulin to help prevent infection. You must get the vaccine dose and, if needed, HBIG shortly after coming into contact with the virus, preferably within 24 hours.

    What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Hbv Infection

    HBV can cause a wide range of symptoms, from a mild illness and general feeling of being unwell to more serious chronic liver disease that can lead to liver cancer.

    Someone with hepatitis B may have symptoms similar to those caused by other viral infections, like the flu. The person might:

    • be extra tired
    • feel like throwing up or actually throw up
    • not feel like eating
    • have a mild fever

    HBV also can cause darker than usual pee, jaundice , and belly pain.

    People exposed to hepatitis B may start to have symptoms from 1 to 6 months later. Symptoms can last for weeks to months.

    In some people, hepatitis B causes few or no symptoms. But even someone who doesn’t have any symptoms can still spread the disease to others.

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    Treatment Options For Hepatitis B

    Acute hepatitis B usually doesnt require treatment. Most people will overcome an acute infection on their own. However, rest and hydration will help you recover.

    Antiviral medications are used to treat chronic hepatitis B. These help you fight the virus. They may also reduce the risk of future liver complications.

    You may need a liver transplant if hepatitis B has severely damaged your liver. A liver transplant means a surgeon will remove your liver and replace it with a donor liver. Most donor livers come from deceased donors.

    What Laboratory Tests Are Available For Hepatitis B

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    Tests are available to detect the types of antigens used to identify the hepatitis B virus. The tests determine if the virus is present in the body tissue or blood. The amount of each type of antigen present indicates how advanced the disease is and how infective the individual has become.

    Other tests are available to detect the body’s reaction to the viral infection or the body’s reaction to vaccination against the virus. These tests work by measuring the number of antibodies present in the blood.

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    History And Physical Exam

    To diagnose all forms of hepatitis, your doctor will first take your history to determine any risk factors you may have.

    During a physical examination, your doctor may press down gently on your abdomen to see if thereâs pain or tenderness. Your doctor may also check for any swelling of the liver and any yellow discoloration in your eyes or skin.

    Where Is The Hepatitis B Virus Found And How Is It Transmitted

    Blood is the major source of the hepatitis B virus in the workplace. It can also be found in other tissues and body fluids, but in much lower concentrations. The risk of transmission varies according to the specific source. The virus can survive outside the body for at least 7 days and still be able to cause infection.

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    How Do You Treat Hepatitis C

    In the past, there was no medication to treat hepatitis C. However, over the last few years, medications have been approved to cure the disease.

    If you have symptoms, or youre found to have an asymptomatic chronic infection, your doctor will likely refer you to a liver specialist who can help determine the best course of treatment.

    Your doctor can also monitor your symptoms and perform blood tests to confirm whether certain treatments are working for you.

    Its difficult to tell if you have hepatitis C based on symptoms.

    Be sure to practice preventive measures to protect yourself from developing the condition:

    • Practice safe sex to prevent getting sexually transmitted diseases.
    • If you get tattoos or piercings, make sure that the employees use sterile needles.

    Eating Diet And Nutrition For Hepatitis B

    Hepatitis, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

    If you have hepatitis B, you should eat a balanced, healthy diet. Obesity can increase the chance of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease , and NAFLD can increase liver damage in people who have hepatitis B. Talk with your doctor about healthy eating and maintaining a healthy weight.

    You should also avoid alcohol because it can cause more liver damage.

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    What Are The Symptoms Of Hepatitis

    Initial symptoms of hepatitis are vague and could be attributed to other things.

    They include nausea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, and vomiting. As hepatitis progresses, other symptoms include dark urine and light-colored stool. The more serious symptoms include jaundice, which is the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes.

    As this inflammation of the liver becomes more prominent, then you get the most distinctive symptoms, like the whites of the eyes turn yellow and a yellowish cast on the skin, Schaffner said. It can be accompanied by light stools and dark urine. The symptoms of hepatitis are vague until it gets more serious.

    Who Should Be Vaccinated For Hepatitis B

    All newborns should be vaccinated. Also, people who are under 18 who were not vaccinated at birth should also get the vaccine. Other groups who should be sure to be vaccinated are those in certain high-risk categories, such as:

    • People who have more than one sexual partner.
    • Men who have sex with men.
    • Adults with diabetes.
    • Sexual partners of infected people and people who share households with infected individuals.
    • People who are exposed to blood and other bodily fluids, including healthcare and public safety professionals, and people who work in jails and other places taking care of people who cant take care of themselves.

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    Do You Need Vaccinations Before Traveling Abroad

    The CDC divides travel vaccinations into three categories: 1) routine, 2) recommended, and 3) required. The only vaccine classified as required by International Health Regulations is the yellow fever vaccination for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America.

    Routine vaccinations are those that are normally administered, usually during childhood, in the United States. These include immunizations against:

    • tetanus

    Diagnosis Of Hepatitis B

    Symptoms of Hepatitis B

    Blood tests are available to determine if you are or have been infected with hepatitis B. It may take 6 months from the time of infection before a blood test can detect antibodies to hepatitis B, so follow-up testing may be required. During this 6-month period, until you know whether you are infected or not, take action to prevent potential infection of other people.

    There are also tests that can assess liver damage from hepatitis B. The interpretation of these tests can be complicated and specialist advice is needed, so talk to your doctor.

    All pregnant women are tested for hepatitis B. If you are found to have chronic hepatitis B, your doctor can help reduce the risk of transferring the infection to your newborn child.

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    How To Identify Hepatitis Symptoms In Children

    • Hundreds of cases of hepatitis have been detected in children worldwide.
    • Experts are not sure what is causing these rare cases.
    • Symptoms of hepatitis can be mild at first, including nausea and fever. Symptoms of severe hepatitis can include jaundice.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been investigating severe, unexplained cases of hepatitis in children across the country, which may all be linked to a mysterious outbreak worldwide. At least 228 cases as of May 1 have been reported worldwide.

    The cases in the U.S. have led to hospitalization for most children, multiple liver transplants, and five deaths.

    Hepatitis is not a common disease in children, and the World Health Organization is reporting that the children affected range between the ages of 1 month and 16 years . This is more worrisome because experts still do not have a clear picture of what is causing this condition.

    While more research does still need to be done, experts have weighed in on how best to spot the signs of hepatitis in children.

    Hepatitis B In The United States

    In the United States, about 862,000 people have chronic hepatitis B.6 Asian Americans and African Americans have higher rates of chronic hepatitis B than other U.S. racial and ethnic groups.10 Researchers estimate that about half of the people living with chronic hepatitis B in the United States are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.11 Chronic hepatitis B is also more common among people born in other countries than among those born in the United States.7

    The hepatitis B vaccine has been available since the 1980s and, in 1991, doctors began recommending that children in the United States receive the hepatitis B vaccine. The annual rate of acute hepatitis B infections went down 88.5 percent between 1982 and 2015.12 In 2017, the annual number of hepatitis B infections rose in some states.13 Experts think the rise was related to increases in injection drug use. Injection drug use increases the risk of hepatitis B infection.

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    Origin Of Antiviral Resistance

    The genetic makeup of viruses is constantly changing, which can cause a virus to become resistant to currently available treatments. Viruses can become resistant through spontaneous or intermittent mechanisms throughout the course of an antiviral treatment. Immunocompromised patients, more often than immunocompetent patients, hospitalized with are at the highest risk of developing oseltamivir resistance during treatment. Subsequent to exposure to someone else with the flu, those who received oseltamivir for “post-exposure prophylaxis” are also at higher risk of resistance.

    Multiple strains of one virus can be present in the body at one time, and some of these strains may contain mutations that cause antiviral resistance. This effect, called the , results in immense variation in any given sample of virus, and gives the opportunity for natural selection to favor viral strains with the highest fitness every time the virus is spread to a new host. Also, recombination, the joining of two different viral variants, and , the swapping of viral gene segments among viruses in the same cell, play a role in resistance, especially in influenza.

    Antiviral resistance has been reported in antivirals for herpes, HIV, hepatitis B and C, and influenza, but antiviral resistance is a possibility for all viruses. Mechanisms of antiviral resistance vary between virus types.

    How Does Hepatitis B Affect The Liver

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    In acute symptomatic hepatitis B, the liver can become swollen and inflamed. However the infection is often silent, particularly in infants. If the infection becomes chronic, the virus can cause inflammation and cause the healthy, soft tissues of the liver to harden and scar. About a quarter of people with chronic hepatitis B develop serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.

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    Does Hepatitis B Ever Go Away

    In most cases, hepatitis B goes away on its own. You can relieve your symptoms at home by resting, eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding alcohol and drugs. Also, find out from your doctor what medicines and herbal products to avoid, because some can make liver damage caused by hepatitis B worse.

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