About Hepatitis B
The word hepatitis refers to an "inflammation of the liver." Chronic hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world and is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which attacks the liver. An acute (short-term) hepatitis B infection can progress to chronic hepatitis B — a lifetime condition that can lead to cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, liver cancer, and liver failure.
Not everyone who is infected with hepatitis B will develop chronic hepatitis B. In fact, most healthy adults (90%) who are infected will recover and develop protective antibodies against future infections. If the virus remains in the blood for more than six months, then a person is diagnosed as having chronic hepatitis B, and often requires treatment to prevent further damage to the liver.
Chronic hepatitis B is a silent disease
Many people with hepatitis B do not have noticeable symptoms. This makes it a truly invisible enemy because people who have the disease may not seek treatment and can unknowingly pass the virus on to others. Hepatitis B infection may cause flu-like symptoms, such as: extreme tiredness, fever, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and muscle aches. Other symptoms may include discomfort under the right rib cage, joint pain, dark brown urine, and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
Hepatitis B is different than hepatitis A or C. Hepatitis A is an acute (short-term) infection that is spread through feces or contaminated water or food. There's an effective vaccine and most patients recover completely within 6 to 10 weeks. Hepatitis C is spread through infected blood and body fluids (predominantly through injection drug use). There is no vaccine and approximately 85 percent of those infected will develop a chronic condition.
Here are a few things you should know about hepatitis B:
- There is an effective vaccine that can prevent hepatitis B
- The majority of people with chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms and can unknowingly infect other people for the rest of their lives
- Hepatitis B can be spread through infected blood and body fluids, such as through unprotected sex, sharing needles, or from mother to child at birth. Click here to learn more about risk factors for hepatitis B.