Hepatitis B is the name of a common condition of inflammation of the liver. The causative agent is the hepatitis B virus. This virus can be transmitted from person to person through blood and body fluids. Unprotected sexual intercourse, drug use, unclean needles, medical supplies and transmission to the baby during pregnancy are different ways of transmission. The disease is not transmitted by eating from the same plate, using the same toilet or kissing.
While this disease, which is common and contagious, can progress rapidly without showing symptoms, people who are not aware of the disease may develop cirrhosis or liver cancer in the future. Some types of this disease, which can be prevented and treated by taking the necessary precautions, can go away on their own, while others may require a long treatment process.
What are the Types of Hepatitis B?
The disease manifests itself in two types: acute and chronic. The acute form is usually a short-lived disease that can occur within about 5-6 months after exposure to the virus. While this condition may cause some complaints in the person, these are;
- Increased body temperature (fever)
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Jaundice
- Muscle and joint pain
Most chronic infections show improvement. Rarely, in some people this condition develops suddenly and can progress rapidly. When it persists for longer than about 6 months, it can lead to a number of serious illnesses, including liver failure problems and life-threatening conditions.
The risk of this condition becoming chronic is seen in about 90 percent of newborn babies, while this risk decreases as they get older.
In both cases, some people infected with the virus do not develop the disease and the virus may be stable in the body. In some cases, the virus may not be eliminated from the body even if the disease condition improves. While these people do not have symptoms and complaints, the risk of being a carrier is high. In these cases, the risk of transmission also increases.
The disease can remain outdoors for up to a week and is much more contagious than other viruses (hepatitis C, HIV).
In addition, babies of women who are pregnant are at high risk. For this reason, it is important for their own health, the health of the baby and other people to be vaccinated without wasting time. The vaccine has a lifelong protective effect. In addition, even if people in the high-risk group have been vaccinated before, they should not neglect and should have the necessary controls with some blood tests.
Although the risk of transmission to the baby during pregnancy is low, the baby can be infected during breastfeeding. Postnatal vaccination provides protection from this situation.
What are the Symptoms of Hepatitis B?
This disease, which is transmitted through the virus, can cause serious damage to the liver. In this process, the person may not have any symptoms and the risk of cancer formation increases in the future.
In some cases, some complaints and symptoms may be observed. Complaints and complaints among the symptoms of hepatitis B are as follows:
- Extreme fatigue and weakness
- Cessation or complete loss of appetite
- Yellowing of the eyes
- Rapid weight loss
- Stomach problems (bloating and pain)
- The problem of edema in the legs
- A bleeding wound continues to bleed for a long time
- Severe headache and joint pain
- Diarrhea
- Dark urine color
- Easy bleeding and bruising
- A noticeable lightening of stool color
How is Hepatitis B Transmitted? What are the Causes?
This condition, which is usually caused by the virus, is a disease that can be transmitted through blood, body fluids or sexual contact. Since there may also be a risk of transmission through shared items, people with this disease should be avoided as much as possible and the items used should be separated.
Some factors that cause the transmission of the disease and some situations that cause the transmission of the virus can be listed as follows:
- Transmission from the mother to the baby during breastfeeding
- Non-sterile needles, medical instruments and untested blood or blood products
- Some personal items used by an individual with the virus (such as toothbrushes, razor blades)
- Contact with the blood of an infected person or touching open wounds
- Sexual intercourse with an infected patient without contraception
- Using non-sterile injection materials
- Dialysis with an uncontrolled hemodialysis machine that carries the risk of infection
- Pin prick
How is Hepatitis B Diagnosed?
In order to diagnose and diagnose the disease, a number of examinations and blood tests are performed. The virus is also examined and the body's ability to form antibodies against the virus is also checked.
When the antibody test and virus test are negative, the virus is not seen and vaccination can be applied. When the antibody is positive, the person has been in contact with the virus but has recovered. The body is also immune to this disease.
If the antigen is positive, it means that the virus is active in the body. In this case, the virus may have just emerged and can be treated and the person can be immunized for a lifetime.
It can also be a long-standing virus, while the person may be a carrier. In positive cases lasting more than 6 months, the risk of becoming chronic is high.
Hepatitis B Vaccine and Treatment Methods
There are vaccines developed for this condition and used to prevent the disease. The person protection rate of this vaccine is approximately 90 percent. Vaccination has been ongoing in our country for many years.
The vaccine may need to be repeated in later periods and in old age depending on immunity. Women during pregnancy should have frequent check-ups as they are in the risk group. These checks will protect the newborn baby from this disease.
For short-term illness, there is usually no need for a special treatment process, but some medications can be given to reduce complaints. In chronic disease, medication can be administered to the person to keep the virus under control. The aim of this treatment is to prevent the virus from increasing and damaging the liver.
Things to Consider
There are some situations that patients and carrier individuals should pay attention to. These are
- Having protected sexual intercourse
- Not sharing personal belongings with others
- Vaccination of cohabitants
- Avoiding alcohol for liver health
- Following the vaccination schedule for children
People who have the disease and want to have a baby should first consult a doctor. Although it is possible for these people to have healthy children, they need to take some precautions.
People Who Need Hepatitis B Vaccine
The vaccine is recommended for people who are at risk of virus infection and have not been vaccinated. Combination with other vaccines does not cause any danger or problems. It is not recommended for people who have received this vaccine before and have allergic reactions and people who are allergic to the substance contained in the vaccine.
The groups that should be vaccinated against hepatitis B are as follows:
- Virus in any of the couples who have sexual intercourse
- People who have been in close contact with a person carrying the virus
- Workers who may be exposed to blood or body fluids
- Health care workers or public safety personnel
- People living in areas with a high incidence of the disease
- Chronic liver and kidney disease patients
- People with diabetes and HIV infection
