Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a more serious infection. It may lead to a condition called cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) or liver cancer, both of which cause severe illness and even death. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
In the United States, the most common way people get infected with HBV is through unprotected sex with a person who has the disease. People who share needles also are at risk of becoming infected because it's likely that the needles they use will not have been sterilized.
As yet, there's no effective cure for hepatitis B. In most cases, teens who get hepatitis B will recover from the disease and may develop a natural immunity to future hepatitis B infections. But some people will have the condition forever. Some treatment can help some people with hepatitis B get rid of the virus.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Hepatitis infection causes inflammation of the liver, which means that the liver becomes swollen and damaged and begins losing its ability to function. People with hepatitis often get symptoms similar to those caused by other virus infections, such as weakness, tiredness, and nausea. Because the symptoms of hepatitis are similar to other conditions, it's easy for someone who has it to confuse it with another illness.
In addition, people with hepatitis A may not show any symptoms, so the infection can go undiagnosed. People with hepatitis B or C infection also may not show symptoms right away, but can develop health problems from the infection many years later. Even when infected people don't have any symptoms, they can still pass the disease on to others.
Symptoms of hepatitis include:
- yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice
- fever
- nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite
- abdominal pain (on the upper right side)
- light-colored bowel movements
- dark-colored urine
How Is Hepatitis Diagnosed and Treated?
A blood test is usually needed to determine if a person has hepatitis.
Doctors don't prescribe medications to treat hepatitis A; they usually recommend resting until any fever and jaundice are gone and the person's appetite has returned to normal. It is also important to stay well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
Hepatitis B and C can sometimes be treated with medications, although some forms of medication used to treat hepatitis C are only approved for use in adults. Although treatments for hepatitis B and C are becoming more effective, a cure cannot be guaranteed.
Protecting Yourself
Vaccines can protect people against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Today, all kids in the United States are routinely vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth and against hepatitis A between the ages of 1 and 2 years.
Doctors recommend that the hepatitis A vaccine be given to anyone who wants to be immunized against the condition. However, people who travel to parts of the world where sanitation isn't very good should be immunized.
If a person has been recently exposed to hepatitis A or B, a doctor may recommend a shot of immune globulin containing antibodies against the virus. This can help prevent the person from coming down with the disease.
In addition to receiving vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, here's how to protect yourself against hepatitis virus infection:
- Don't have unprotected sex.
- Avoid intravenous drug use and sharing of drug paraphernalia.
- Wash your hands before handling food and after using the bathroom.
- Be sure tattoo or piercing shops sterilize needles and other equipment properly.
- Don't share toothbrushes or razors. Hepatitis can be transmitted through sores or cuts.
- Avoid eating raw shellfish (such as clams or oysters). You could put yourself at risk for hepatitis A if the shellfish was harvested from contaminated water.
Hepatitis infection can be serious, but knowing what puts you at risk can help protect you.
*This statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
