HOW TO PREVENT/TREAT HEPATITIS B???

HEPATITIS B PREVENTION

Hepatitis B Vaccine

There is a vaccine against the hepatitis B virus. It is safe and works well to prevent the disease. A total of 3 doses of the vaccine are given over several months. Hepatitis B vaccine is also produced as a combination product which includes other common childhood vaccinations.

The following groups of people should be vaccinated for hepatitis B:

• All health care and public safety workers who may be exposed to blood.
• People who have hemophilia or other blood clotting disorders and receive transfusions of human clotting factors.
• Travellers to countries where HBV infection is common. This includes most areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, China and Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.
• People who inject illegal drugs.
• People with chronic liver disease such as hepatitis C.
• People who have multiple sex partners or have ever had a sexually transmitted disease, like HIV
• People who have a sexual partner who is an HBV carrier.
• Household contacts of persons who are carriers of HBV.  

Hepatitis B immune globulin is given along with the hepatitis B vaccine to unvaccinated people who have been exposed to hepatitis B.

• These include close contacts of people with HBV infection, health care workers who are exposed to HBV-contaminated blood, and infants born to mothers infected with HBV.
• Prevents transmission of the disease in 80% to 90% percent of cases.
   

Other ways to protect yourself from HBV infection include:

• Practice safe sex. Correct use of latex condoms can help prevent transmission of HBV.
• If you inject drugs, don't share needles or other equipment.
• Don't share anything that might have blood on it, such as a razor, toothbrush, fingernail clippers, etc.
  

  
• Think about the health risks if you are planning to get a tattoo or body piercing. You can become infected if the artist or person piercing you does not sterilize needles and equipment, use disposable gloves, or wash hands properly.
  

  

  
  
• If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant, tell your health care practitioner if you have any of the risk factors for HBV infection.

HEPATITIS B TREATMENT

Acute hepatitis B infection:

• Infection is not treated with antiviral medications.
• If the infected person is dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea, a doctor may prescribe IV fluids to help them feel better. Medications may also be used to control these symptoms.
• People with mild symptoms can be cared for at home.

 

Chronic hepatitis B infection:

The degree of liver damage is related to the amount of active, replicating virus in the blood and liver. Regularly measuring the amount of HBV DNA in the blood gives your physician a good idea of how fast the virus is multiplying.

• Antiviral agents, while the best therapy known for chronic hepatitis B, do not work in all individuals with the disease.
• Antiviral therapy is not appropriate for everyone with chronic HBV infection. It is reserved for people whose infection is most likely to progress to active hepatitis or cirrhosis.
• The decision to treat is guided by results of liver function tests, HBV DNA tests, and, frequently, liver biopsies after a complete history and physical examination.

 

HEPATITIS B MEDICATIONS

They reduce the ability of the virus to reproduce in the body and give the liver a chance to heal itself. However, they are not a cure for hepatitis B.

Pegylated interferon:

• Slows the replication of the virus and boosts the body's immune system to fight the infection.
• Works best in people who have relatively low levels of HBV DNA.
• It is usually not given to people whose liver damage has progressed to cirrhosis, because it can make the liver damage worse.
• The side effects are similar to having the flu. For most people, it is so severe that they cannot continue taking the medication.
• Liver function tests and HBV DNA tests are used to check how well the treatment is working.
• Interferon appears to stop the liver damage in up to 40% of people although relapse is possible. 

Nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs):

• They are compounds that mimic normal building blocks for DNA. When the virus tries to use the analogues, it is unable to make new viral particles. 
• They reduce the amount of virus in the body.
• Side effects are less common than with pegylated interferon. NAs have been associated with changes in body fat distribution, reduced blood cell counts, and increased levels of lactic acid in the blood.
• HBV may become resistant to NAs over time.
• NAs do not cure the infection. Relapse is possible even in patients who have had a good response to treatment.

OTHER HEPATITIS B THERAPY

No herbs, supplements, or other alternative therapy is known to work as well as antiviral medication in slowing HBV replication and promoting liver healing in hepatitis B. At this time, no specific herb or herbal preparation is recommended.

THERE IS NO SURGICAL THERAPY FOR HEPATITIS B.

• If liver damage is so severe that the liver starts to fail, liver transplant may be recommended.
• Liver transplant is a major process and surgery with an extended recovery period but also depends on the availability of a matching donor liver.

Information from these sources:

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hepatitis_b/article_em.htm#Hepatitis B Overview

Photos from these sources:

http://gowiththeebb.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/a-walking-psa-complete-with-clam-costumes/

http://www.ezdia.com/epad/hepatitis-shot-vaccine/670/

http://www.can.org.au/Pages/Hepatitis_C/Protecting_Yourself.aspx

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