Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is not spread through causal contact such as hugging or kissing, and unlike hepatitis A, is not found in food or water. Hepatitis B is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver, and is spread through contact with infected blood and body fluids.

Most people infected with Hepatitis B are not aware they have been infected with the virus because symptoms don’t appear right away, and can take up to six months to appear. During this “active phase”  you can spread the virus to other people.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of hepatitis B can range from mild to severe.

Symptoms:

• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Nausea, vomiting & loss of appetite
• Weakness and fatigue
• Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

Treatment:

When a person is first infected with the hepatitis B virus, this is called “acute hepatitis B”.  If you are diagnosed with acute hepatitis B, you may not need treatment.  Most people with a strong immune system will recover and rid the virus on their own without any problems.

However, if the virus remains in the blood for more than six months, then a person is diagnosed as having “chronic hepatitis B”.   If you are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, you may require treatment, such as  antiviral medications to reduce the risk of liver disease and prevent you from passing the infection to others.

Hepatitis B is treatable. If you think you may be infected with hepatitis B, it is important to find out if you have the virus, and a simple blood test can diagnose this virus.

Prevention:

• Get vaccinated
• Avoid sharing needles/syringes, and other drug related equipment
• Practice safe sex
• Avoid dental, medical or cosmetic procedure unless you are certain that the equipment is sterile
• Wear latex gloves if you are likely to be in contact with someone’s blood or bodily fluids
• Don’t share personal items like razors, nail clippers or toothbrushes

If you know you’ve been exposed to hepatitis B, contact your doctor or healthcare practitioner immediately.