Hepatitis is the inflammation or swelling of the liver and it can occur as a result of taking an overdose of or chronically taking certain drugs, alcohol or certain chemicals. Hepatitis may also be caused by viral infections or autoimmune disease. Inflammation of the liver may precede liver damage. Viral hepatitis is the most common cause of hepatitis.
Till date, six strains of the hepatitis virus have been identified—Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and G. Each strain is unique, differing from the others in severity and in the way it spreads. The most common hepatitis viruses are types A, B and C.
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Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B can develop into a chronic infection and can lead to serious, life-threatening complications such as liver failure, liver cancer or liver cirrhosis, a condition where the liver Cells die and are replaced by scar tissue and fat.
You can get infected with hepatitis B if you come in contact with the blood and/or body fluids of an infected person, such as by sharing infected needles—during drug abuse—or having unprotected sex. |
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Pregnant women who are infected can pass on the infection to their babies during childbirth. Nurses, laboratory technicians and doctors can also get infected if they come in touch with an infected person’s blood or accidentally puncture their skin with a needle that was used on an infected patient. You cannot get hepatitis B by casual contact, such as shaking hands or hugging an infected person.
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Symptoms of hepatitis B
If you have been infected with the HBV, it usually takes around 12 weeks for the first signs and symptoms of the disease to appear. The symptoms can be mild or severe.
If you experience one or all of these symptoms (see Box), get in touch with your doctor immediately. Since the symptoms of hepatitis B do not appear for more than 2½ months, it is important that you get yourself tested if you suspect you have the disease.
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| Symptoms of hepatitis B |
| Nausea and vomiting. |
| Abdominal pain. |
| Loss of appetite. |
| Yellow skin and yellowness around the whites of your eyes (a sign of jaundice). |
| Body weakness. |
| Extreme tiredness. |
| Dark, tea-colored urine. | | Blood tests are used to diagnose hepatitis B. Getting yourself tested can help you take the necessary precautions if the diagnostic test turns out to be positive. You can also take necessary steps to prevent the disease from spreading to others.
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Acute and Chronic hepatitis B
Hepatitis B infections can be acute or chronic. Symptoms of acute hepatitis are present for about 6 weeks and gradually disappear after that, with no long-term complications.
Chronic hepatitis, on the other hand, occurs when the liver has been damaged from the acute illness and cannot recover, leading to severe, life-threatening complications.
Chronic hepatitis lasts for 6 months or longer. The time between the acute illness and signs of chronic hepatitis B varies. It may take a short time, or it may be years after the acute infection subsides that the chronic infection with hepatitis B develops.
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Complications
Chronic hepatitis B can lead to various complications of the liver—cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer. When the liver is damaged, it loses its capacity to flush out toxic body wastes which can be very harmful to the body. Although initial liver damage or cirrhosis hardly exhibits any symptoms in the early stages of the disease, symptoms become prominent as the disease progresses and liver damage becomes worse.
Some of the symptoms of liver damage are: |
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Extreme tiredness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Loss of appetite.
- Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice).
Individuals with hepatitis B are more prone to hepatitis D, an infection that spreads through contact with infected blood or other body fluids like Semen and vaginal secretions of hepatitis D infected individuals. Hepatitis D can only develop in people who already have hepatitis B and can worsen the symptoms of hepatitis B.
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Prevention
The best way to prevent hepatitis B is to have protected sex and to avoid sharing needles. Precaution should also be taken while going to the barber for hair-cuts or manicuring of nails, as the tools should be sterilized properly. Hepatitis B can also be prevented by getting oneself vaccinated against the disease that protects you from getting the disease.
Nowadays, the vaccine is routinely recommended for newborns and forms part of the Immunization schedule. Among adults, those who are at high-risk of getting infected -doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, drug users and people who have sexual contact with multiple partners - can also take this vaccine. Ask your doctor for more information on prevention by vaccination. |
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