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Hepatitis B, Symptoms,Causes,Transmission, Chronic Hepatitis B and Treatment

What is Hepatitis B?

What are the causes of hepatitis B?

What is the treatment?

What is chronic hepatitis B?


Hepatitis B is a very serious liver infection becomes chronic if lasts more than six months. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) that increases the risk of liver damage resulting in liver failure, cirrhosis of the liver which is life-threatening.

Timely and proper treatment can ensure full recovery of the patient even in the cases of severe infections. Children are also prone to develop the diseases of hepatitis B. The patient is required to take a due care to prevent the spread of the virus to others.



Chronic Hepatitis B:-

Many people are healthy enough to clear the virus from their bodies without any treatment. However certain patients of hepatitis B have life long infection and that is known as chronic hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B can lead to serious health issues like liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer and in worst case death.

Causes of hepatitis B or How hepatitis B spreads:-

When the blood, semen or other body fluid of an infected person enters the body of a healthy person, there is transmission of the disease. Following are the media through which  the virus can spread-



1.  From infected mother to child through birth.

2.  Sharing needle,syringes, or drug preparation equipment.

3.  Sex with an infected partner.

4.  Sharing of toothbrushes, razors, or other medical equipment by an infected person.

5.  Rxposure of an healthy person to the blood of an infected person through needle or any thing other.

6.  Direct contact with the blood or open sores of an infected person.

Hepatitis B is not likely to spread through breastfeeding, coughing,sneezing, sharing of food and water, utensils.



Symptoms:-

The symptoms of hepatitis B is not visible in all the patients . About 70 percent of the newly infected people do not have any noticeable symptoms. Normally symptoms appear between 60-150 days after initial exposure. The symptoms of hepatitis B include-

1.  Pain around liver .

2.  Pale stool.

3.  Dark urine.

4.  Fatigue.

5.  Fever.

6.  Loss of appetite.

7.  Joint and muscle pain.

8.  Nausea.

9.  vomiting.

10.  Jaundice.



If the hepatitis B  virus does not go by end of six month the disease becomes chronic. Many patients do not have any visible sign  till there is severe damage to the liver.

Symptoms of hepatitis B become more prominent when this disease reaches the stage of cirrhosis or liver cancer. Fatigue, poor appetite, nousea, weight loss, cola-coloured urine, gray coloured stool, jaundice etc. are generally visible in the patient.

In advanced cases of cirrhosis there is fluid accumulation in the stomach, bleeding blood vessels in the digestive tracts .

Treatment of hepatitis B:-

If a person has any of the symptoms of hepatitis B , he must approach the specialist doctor as soon as possible so that early treatment can be started. The patient may be administered vaccine and a shot of hepatitis B immune globulin. This protein boosts the immune system to fight off the infection.



Hepatitis B complications:-

Most patients of hepatitis B come to know of it only in late stage. The serious complications of hepatitis B can lead to-

1.  Cirrhosis:-

Scarring of the liver can severely affect the normal functions of the liver and its end result may be the liver failure.

2. Liver cancer:-

A patient with the chronic hepatitis B may have the risk of liver cancer . An ultrasound examination may be recommendednby the specialist doctor. 

3.  Liver failure:-

A medical condition when liver fails to perform its normal functions. This happens only in severe cases of chronic hepatitis B, This condition is also called " end stage " liver disease.

4.  Kidney disease:-

Researches show that a patient with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B virus is at high risk of certain type of kidney disease.

5.  Blood vessel problem:-

The patient may have inflammation of blood vessels .






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