What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a virus which can cause both acute and chronic infection in human.

Hepatitis B is a virus which can cause both acute and chronic infection in human.

There are 3 main routes of transmission:

1. Mother to infant around the time of delivery (This is the most common route of transmission in children)
2. Blood contact
3. Sexual contact

Most of them have no symptoms. Some of them may have yellow coloring of the eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, fever, malaise or loss of appetite.

Some of the patients end up with acute fulminant hepatitis. Most of the patients end up with chronic carrier state which increases risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in long term.

Most of them have no symptoms. Some of them may have yellow coloring of the eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, fever, malaise or loss of appetite.

There is no contradiction to breast feed your child even you are a hepatitis B carrier.

1. Antiviral medications can be offered to mothers during pregnancy to reduce the risk of transmission from mother to infant
2. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin should be given to babies within 24 hours born to hepatitis B carrier mothers
3. The 3-dose scheduled hepatitis B vaccine should be completed
4. Avoid sharing of syringes, razors, booth brushes and other objects which may contaminated with blood
5. Practice safe sex

After completion of the hepatitis B vaccine, you can check blood for the immunity.

Hepatitis B vaccine should be given again.

Regularly follow-up and monitoring by blood tests and USG are needed. And treatment such as antiviral medications or interferon can be offered if need.