Hepatitis B: Meaning, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

 


HBsAg, abbreviated as hepatitis B surface antigen, is a type of blood test that can find out if the person is infected by the hepatitis B virus along with specific antibodies. People with positive blood tests for hepatitis B infection can transfer it to other people through their blood, open sores, or body fluids. Hepatitis B causes a serious liver infection that becomes chronic and life-threatening if it lasts more than six months. People with chronic hepatitis B are at greater risk of developing scarring of the liver, liver failure, and liver cirrhosis.

 

Generally, adults infected with the hepatitis B virus can recover fully even though they have severe symptoms.  Hepatitis B can occur with anyone regardless of age and gender but children and infants are more vulnerable to this infection. To prevent hepatitis B vaccine is available in the market however, once you have it, it will be hard to cure it. If you have hepatitis B, you can take some precautions to prevent it from spreading to others. There are both mild and severe symptoms of hepatitis B and the symptoms of chronic hepatitis may not appear in the initial 6 months of the condition.

 

Symptoms of Hepatitis B

 If you have acute hepatitis, these symptoms may show up including



  • Yellowing of the eyes
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dark urine
  • Fatigue continues for weeks and months
  • Fluid in the abdomen
  • Web of swollen blood vessels in the skin
  • Jaundice
  • Fever
  • Belly pain
  • Joint pain
  • weakness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

 

Symptoms of chronic hepatitis B may not appear until six months after its occurrence. If these symptoms show up, they can be similar to the acute ones. Most people do not get symptoms and only blood tests can determine the occurrence of the disease. We already know that hepatitis B is caused by a virus called hepatitis B that is contagious. 

 

This virus can be transferred from person to person if they come into sexual contact, or share the same needles or syringes contaminated with infected blood. In addition to this, your healthcare provider who comes in contact with an infected person can get hepatitis B virus, as well as a pregnant woman with hepatitis B, can transfer this virus to her baby during childbirth. However, hepatitis B can not transfer through kissing, sharing utensils, coughing, touching, sneezing, food or water. 

Diagnosis of Hepatitis B

 

To diagnose whether you are infected with hepatitis B or not, your doctor can do a physical exam including some blood tests such as Hepatitis B Test surface antigen and antibody and hepatitis B surface antibody. If you have chronic hepatitis, your healthcare provider can do a biopsy and an ultrasound too. 

 

Your healthcare provider can give you a vaccine, a shot of hepatitis B immune globulin, herbal treatments, supplements, and other medications. Early diagnosis and treatment will be helpful to prevent some complications including cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure, kidney disease, and blood vessel problems. We hope you find this article useful for yourself.

 

 


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