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Hepatitis B (HBV) is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus.
This is one of the five types of viral hepatitis. The others are Hepatitis A, C, D, and E. The types B and C are most likely to become chronic.
Hepatitis B infection is a major global health problem. It can cause liver cirrhosis and liver cancer leading to death.
A vaccine available since 1982 is 95% effective in preventing infection and the development of chronic disease and liver cancer due to hepatitis B.
Newborn infants and children between the ages of 1 and 5 years are at a higher risk of infection from hepatitis B and it usually turns chronic. The risk drops to 6%–10% when a person is infected over 5 years of age.
The likelihood depends upon the age at which someone becomes infected. The younger a person is when infected with Hepatitis B virus, the greater his or her chance of developing chronic Hepatitis B. The risk goes down as a child gets older.
Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. It results from infection with the Hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis B is a DNA virus that integrates into the chromosomes of an individual. This virus is particularly dangerous because it can infect people without them being aware of it, and, these infected people in turn, can unknowingly pass the virus to others.
Hepatitis B can be acute or chronic.
Some people are more prone to Hepatitis B, such as:
Some common causes of Hepatitis B transmission include:
Hepatitis B cannot spread through:
The most common symptoms of hepatitis B include:
If the doctor suspects that you may have Hepatitis B, he will ask you to get blood tests done that can determine if you have the virus in your system and whether it's acute or chronic. He may also suggest a liver biopsy for which a small sample of your liver will be removed to test and determine whether you have liver damage. During this test, your doctor inserts a thin needle through your skin and into your liver and removes a tissue sample for laboratory analysis.
Hepatitis B can lead to serious complications such as:
Treatment of Hepatitis B entirely depends on the severity of your condition. It depends on how active the virus is in your body and the extent of your liver damage. The goal of treatment is to keep the virus from multiplying and to stop liver damage.
Depending on your condition you may be prescribed antiviral medicine by the doctor. Though, anti-viral medicines are not given in all cases.
Frequent tests may be done to ensure that the virus is not multiplying in your liver. Follow-up visits to your doctor is a must.
If your liver damage is at an advanced stage the doctor may advise you to undergo a liver transplant, though not everyone is a good candidate for liver transplant.
Approximately 25%–50% of children infected between the ages of 1 and 5 years will develop chronic hepatitis.
Worldwide, most people with chronic Hepatitis B were infected at birth or during early childhood.
India has over 40 million Hepatitis B infected patients, second only to China, and most people with chronic Hepatitis B or C are unaware of their infection, putting them at serious risk of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer which are life threatening.
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