Hepatitis B Symptoms

Hepatitis B spreads due to transfusion of infected blood or body secretions. It transfers via blood,  breast milk, saliva,breast milk, vaginal discharge and semens. It doesn’t spreads through casual physical contact or food or water.

In United states the main cause of Hepatitis B is through sexual contact followed by using a contaminated needle while injecting drugs, tattooing, body piercing etc. The thing that makes Hepatitis B more dangerous is its ability to spread through razor and toothbrush of infected person.

Hepatitis B can also spread from infected mothers to their babies via breast milk. This type of transmission is high and almost all babies develop a chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B Transmission can be reduced through through immunoprophylaxis .

Early Symptoms of Hepatitis B in Men

• Joint Pain
• Fever
• Flu

Acute Hepatitis B symptoms

• Jaundice
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain

The acute condition develops during first 5 months of acquiring the virus, out of which around 35%-45% of the patient develops actual symptoms of acute Hepatitis B.

What can happen if the Hepatitis B goes untreated ?

If Hepatitis B remains untreated for long, it enters the stage of acute hepatitis B, if that too left untreated, it can develop into chronic (long-term) hepatitis B, which is not eay to handle and can lead to liver failure, liver cancer or even death.

Hepatitis B diagnosis ?

A complete physical examination which consist of all body checks like blood pressure, heart exam, lung exam, heart rate etc followed by a blood test that will look out for Hepatitis B virus and the antibodies status (the cell that fights infection)

In the chronic stage of Hepatitis B, doctors may require to take tissue samples from liver in the process called biopsy.

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Hepatitis B treatment

If it is confirm that the patient has been contracted with Hepatitis B virus (within 12 hours of being exposed). The patient is given a vaccine and a shot of hepatitis B immune globulin, which helps your immune system to grow.

Treatment for chronic hepatitis B infection

At the chronic stage of Hepatitis B it is important to protect liver from diseases. So the treatment may include the following

Anti-viral medications : lamivudine (Epivir), adefovir (Hepsera), telbivudine (Tyzeka) and entecavir (Baraclude) which help fight virus and slow down its ability to damage your liver.

Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A) : When Injected inside the body, it produces synthetic like substance which fights infection. Given to young people, who don’t want long treatment and to the people who might want to get pregnant in few years.

*it has many side effects like depression, difficulty in breathing etc.

Liver Transplant : If the Liver has been severely damaged, then lever transplant can be the option. During a liver transplant, the surgeon removes your damaged liver and replaces it with a healthy liver,most of the time donated by a deceased donor.

How to Prevent yourself from Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B vaccine is the most effective way to prevent yourself from the virus. Given in parts of 3 -4 shot, the vaccine is 94% effective against Hepatitis B. Other preventive measures includes the following

• Use of condom during sex
• Not sharing needles
• Not sharing razors or toothbrush
• Wear latex or plastic gloves if you have to touch blood.
• Be sure while getting tattooed if the needles have been cleaned properly and are sterile.

Also read : When is the blood test for STD & when a Urine STD test, How do you get tested for STDs?