How is hepatitis B treated?
Hepatitis Week -- Your Online Hepatitis NewsletterA drug called lamivudine. You take it by mouth once a day. Treatment is usually for one year. Sometimes lamivudine is combined with interferon. Surgery. Over time, hepatitis B may cause your liver to stop working. If that happens, you will need a new liver. The surgery is called a liver transplant. It involves taking out the old, damaged liver and putting in a healthy one from a donor
Related QuestionsHepatitis C Web Portal: Frequently Asked QuestionsThere are two kinds of drugs for use in treating chronic hepatitis B. The first are interferon therapies, which include interferon and pegylated interferon. These drugs work by stimulating the immune system and stopping the virus from growing (replicating). The other kind of medication is called an anti-viral therapy (such as lamivudine or adefovir). These medications prevent the virus from growing (replicating).Related Questions
Hepatitis B FactsThere are three drugs licensed for treatment of Hepatitis B. There is no cure. If your liver is very diseased, you may need a liver transplant.Related Questions
What is hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B: FAQ | Pregnancy | CDC Viral HepatitisHepatitis B is a serious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV attacks the liver and can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) in people who develop lifelong infection with the virus.
Related QuestionsFAQThe Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is spread through contact with infected blood, through sex with an infected person, and from mother to child during childbirth. It is the most common hepatitis virus. Most adults who become infected will recover from HBV after a few months and become immune to being infected again. Others are not able to get rid of the virus and stay infected for life. Chronic HBV often leads to a scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis (sir-o-sis) and liver cancer.Related Questions
Hepatitis Week -- Your Online Hepatitis NewsletterHepatitis B is a liver disease. It makes your liver swell and stops it from working right. You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and other poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy for when you need it.Related Questions
Is hepatitis B serious?
Hepatitis Week -- Your Online Hepatitis NewsletterYes. Although many people who are exposed to hepatitis B will be able to get rid of the virus, some people develop chronic (life-long) hepatitis B. This may lead to liver damage, liver cancer and death. Hepatitis B carriers are people who are infected with HBV and never recover fully from the infection; they carry the virus and can infect others for the rest of their lives. In the United States, about one million people carry HBV.
Related QuestionsAIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts:Although Hepatitis A, B, and C are all viruses that damage the liver, they are all different and otherwise unrelated. Hepatitis A is spread through ingesting fecal matter (e.g. through changing diapers and not washing hands, performing oral to anal sex, eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, etc.). It is an acute infection that can make people extremely sick shortly after contracting the disease. Once people clear the virus, they cannot be reinfected.Related Questions
If you are pregnant, should you worry about hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B: FAQ | Pregnancy | CDC Viral HepatitisYes, you should get a blood test to check for HBV infection early in your pregnancy. This test is called hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). If you test HBsAg-negative early in pregnancy, but continue behaviors that put you at risk for HBV infection (e.g., multiple sex partners, injection drug use), you should be retested for HBsAg close to delivery. If your HBsAg test is positive, this means you are infected with HBV and can give the virus to your baby.
Related QuestionsWhat if I am pregnant and have hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B: FAQ | Pregnancy | CDC Viral HepatitisAsk your doctor to make sure your baby gets a shot called HBIG and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Once your baby has this shot, it is safe to breastfeed your baby. But it is also important to make sure your baby completes all the hepatitis B vaccine doses, and is tested to make sure he or she is protected.
Related QuestionsWhat is the difference between Hepatitis A, B, and C?
FAQHepatitis A (HAV) is caused by a virus found in feces (people's stool). You can get it by coming in contact with infected feces. The most common way is by swallowing food or liquids that get contaminated by hands that are not washed thoroughly after using the toilet. You can also get Hepatitis A through sexual acts like 'rimming' (licking someone's anus) or via oral sex on a male's penis after he has had anal sex.
Related QuestionsWhere can I get Hepatitis A and B vaccines?
FAQIt is always a good idea to get screened for Hepatitis A or B antibodies before you get vaccinated to make sure you aren't already infected. Any health provider should be able to screen you or provide you with the vaccines. Some clinics will only vaccinate you if you are a certain age, if you ask, or if you are a regular patient.
Related QuestionsHepatitis B: FAQ | CDC Viral HepatitisHepatitis B is caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.Related Questions
What are my hepatitis B vaccination options?
Body Art Frequently Asked Questions PractitionersYou have a few options regarding Hepatitis B vaccinations. You can provide evidence of having received the series of vaccinations, or you can refuse the vaccination requirement for personal or religious reasons. If you refuse for any reason, it must be in writing. Because the health department would prefer that all local artists complete their series of shots, the department offers hepatitis B shots free of charge to any locally-licensed body art practitioner.
Related QuestionsHepatitis B FactsHepatitis B is a virus that attacks the liver. A healthy liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy for when you need it. Hepatitis can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.Related Questions
hep_bHepatitis B is caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. The virus is present in the blood and body fluids of an infected individual and can be transmitted from mother to baby at birth as well as through unprotected sex, and unsterilized needles.Related Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Hepatitis B - California Pa...Hepatitis B is a virus that infects and damages the liver. Because hepatitis B can hide inside the body, many people do not know they have the virus until they get tested. In the United States, more than 2 million people have the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 70,000 new cases develop each year. The word "hepatitis" indicates that there is inflammation, or swelling, in the liver. Once this inflammation begins, scar tissue (called "fibrosis") may form.Related Questions
What causes hepatitis B?
Hepatitis Week -- Your Online Hepatitis NewsletterHepatitis B is caused by a virus. A virus is a germ that causes sickness. (For example, the flu is caused by a virus.) People can pass viruses to each other. The virus that causes hepatitis B is called the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
Related QuestionsWhat are the tests for hepatitis B?
Hepatitis Week -- Your Online Hepatitis NewsletterTo check for hepatitis B, the doctor will test your blood. These tests show if you have hepatitis B and how serious it is. Tests for hepatitis B include: It means that you have been exposed to hepatitis B and have developed an antibody to only part of the virus; The doctor may also do a liver biopsy. The doctor removes a tiny piece of your liver through a needle. The doctor checks the piece of liver for signs of hepatitis B and liver damage.
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