What Is Hepatitis B?
Date: 2 سال قبل
author: AmirAbad
What Is Hepatitis B?
Normally, the liver breaks down waste products in your blood.
But when the liver is inflamed, it doesn’t do a good job of getting rid of
waste products. This causes waste products to build up in
your blood and tissues.
Hepatitis B is an
infection of your liver. It’s
caused by a virus. The virus is usually spread from person to person
through contact with blood and/or body fluids of someone who has the infection.
What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?
Symptoms of hepatitis B can range from mild to severe.
The symptoms of hepatitis B may include:
·
Loss of appetite.
·
Nausea.
·
Vomiting.
·
Weakness and
fatigue.
·
Abdominal pain
(especially in the area around your liver).
·
Dark-colored urine.
·
Jaundice (the
yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes).
·
Joint pain.
What causes hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus. You can
get the virus if you have unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner.
People who use intravenous (IV) drugs can get hepatitis B when they
share needles with someone who has the virus. Health care workers (such as
nurses, lab technicians, and doctors) can get hepatitis B if they are
accidentally stuck with a needle that was used on an infected patient. The
infection can also be passed from a mother to her baby during childbirth. You
are also more likely to get hepatitis B if you travel to areas of the world
where hepatitis B is common.
How is hepatitis B diagnosed?
There are three main ways to
diagnose HBV infection. They include:
·
Blood tests: Tests
of the blood serum (or plasma) shows how your body's immune system is
responding to the virus. A blood test can also tell you if you are immune to
HBV.
·
Abdominal
ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves to show the size and shape of your
liver and how well the blood flows through it.
·
Liver biopsy: A
small sample of your liver tissue is removed though a tiny incision and sent to
a lab for analysis.
Can hepatitis B be prevented or avoided?
Get the hepatitis B vaccine (if you haven’t already been infected).
Use condoms every time you have sex.
Cover all open cuts or wounds.
Don’t share razors, toothbrushes, nail care tools, or pierced earrings
with anyone.
Make certain that any needles for drugs, ear piercing, or tattoos -- or
tools for manicures and pedicures -- are properly sterilized.
What are the long-term effects of hepatitis B?
·
Becoming a
hepatitis B carrier.
·
Chronic hepatitis B
infection.
·
Cirrhosis (scarring
of the liver).
·
Liver failure.
·
Death.
How Is Hepatitis B Treated?
There's no cure for HBV. Doctors will advise someone with a hepatitis B
infection on how to manage symptoms — like getting plenty of rest or drinking fluids.
In most cases, teens who get hepatitis B recover and may develop a
natural immunity to future hepatitis B infections. Research is ongoing for more
effective treatments and a cure for HBV.
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