Facts about hepatitis B (HBV) ● Symptoms, if they occur, appear from one to six months after exposure to the virus. ● An infected person can begin infecting others four to six weeks before symptoms appear and can continue infecting others long after symptoms subside. ● About 1 in 10 people infected with hepatitis B become chronic carriers; they continue carrying the virus and spread it to others even though their symptoms have disappeared. About one-quarter of these chronic carriers eventually die of severe, chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis – a serious scarring of the liver – and liver cancer. ● About half of the people infected with hepatitis B virus never develop symptoms; but they can become chronic carriers. ● Since some areas of the world have high rates of infection, people from places such as Southeast Asia, South Pacific Islands, sub-Saharan Africa, Alaska, Amazon, Bahia, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are at risk. Risk behaviors for contracting HBV ● Practicing unsafe sex. The more partners with whom you have vaginal, anal, or oral contact, the higher your risk of becoming infected with Hepatitis B. Abstinence is the most effective way to prevent sex-related transmission. If you have vaginal, anal, or oral contact, always use barrier protection. People who have sex with multiple partners should ask their health provider about getting vaccinated for Hepatitis B. ● Sharing needles. No matter what drug is injected, whether it’s crack, heroin, or steroids, sharing needles is extremely risky. In fact, an estimated 60-80% percent of the people who share needles are or have been infected with hepatitis B. Similarly, beware of needles that could be contaminated when getting tattoos, having acupuncture or getting your ears pierced. Select a reputable professional for these services. ● Close, frequent contact with the blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or saliva of infected persons. Occasionally, people who share living quarters for a long time with others who have hepatitis B become infected. Receiving a blood transfusion or other blood products no longer carries the threat of hepatitis B that it once did. Today, all blood is screened for hepatitis B before it is used. Prevention of hepatitis B If you are at risk of contracting hepatitis B, get vaccinated. The hepatitis B vaccine is an inactivated antigen (genetically Hepatitis C (HCV) HCV is widely viewed as one of the most serious of the five hepatitis viruses. In the U.S., 3.9 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus, and nearly 70% of them experience chronic symptoms. Hepatitis C is less likely than the other hepatitis viruses to cause serious illness at first and only one-quarter of the people infected actually develop symptoms. The hepatitis C virus is spread primarily through contact with infected blood and possibly semen, vaginal secretions, and saliva and may cause liver cancer and liver failure. Among patients with chronic hepatitis C, 17 and 29% will experience cirrhosis which is irreversible and potentially fatal liver scarring. Hepatitis C is the major reason for liver transplants in the United States.
engineered; not a live or killed virus). It is administered in a series of three injections over a six-month period. Approximately 95% of persons who receive the three injections obtain full immunity after receiving the vaccine. You are asked to report side effects (rash, nausea, joint pain, and/or fatigue) to your health care provider. Also, avoid high-risk behaviors and practice good personal hygiene when sharing food and using bathrooms. Don’t share razors, toothbrushes, or pierced earrings with anyone. Exposure to hepatitis B If you have not been vaccinated against hepatitis B but are exposed to the virus, your health professional can treat you with hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), combined with the hepatitis B vaccination. Do not delay – get immunized and ● Do not engage in sexual contact without a condom. ● Do not donate blood. Bandage all cuts and open sores. ● Do not share anything that could be contaminated with your blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or saliva, such as needles, razors, or toothbrushes. ● Wash your hands well after using the toilet. vaccinated as soon as possible after exposure. Preventing the transmission of Hepatitis B ● If you have hepatitis B and you’re pregnant, your baby must be immunized at birth. All pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B vaccinations The hepatitis B virus vaccination is given in a series of three shots. The second shot is given one month after the first, and the third shot follows five months after the second. This series gradually builds up the body’s immunity to the hepatitis B virus. According to the University of California San Francisco (2020): About 25% of people with chronic hepatitis B can be cured with a drug called pegylated interferon- alpha, which is taken as a weekly injection for six months. The alternative is suppression of the virus with oral medications, such as lamivudine and adefovir. Suppression is recommended for patients with elevated viral levels and evidence of advancing liver disease. In people with a possible exposure to Hepatitis B, such as health care workers and sexual partners of infected persons, an effective vaccine exists and is recommended. In addition, transmission of hepatitis B from mother to newborn largely can be prevented by vaccinating the infant and administering hepatitis B immune globulin. Risk behaviors You are at risk if you share needles; receive contaminated blood during a blood transfusion; or have sexual contact without barrier protection with infected partners. Symptoms: ● Bleeding easily. ● Bruising easily. ● Fatigue. ● Poor appetite. ● Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice). ● Dark-colored urine. ● Itchy skin. ● Fluid buildup in your abdomen (ascites). ● Swelling in your legs. ● Weight loss. ● Confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy). ● Spiderlike blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas). (Mayo, 2020)
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