Hepatitis B is a form of viral hepatitis. Today it is very common. Hepatitis B can be diverse in clinical manifestations and always causes a very strong blow to the liver. This infection got its name in the early seventies: before that, it was called hepatitis or serum hepatitis.
Most often, adults suffer from this disease, from the age of twenty to forty years. Regular vaccination has helped reduce the number of people infected. Unfortunately, this applies only to developed countries, since in countries, for example, Asia and Africa, many residents still receive hepatitis in childhood as a child. Statistics say that about ten percent of the inhabitants of these countries are infected with this infection.
Hepatitis B: transmission routes
Most often, infection occurs in places where there are many people who inject drugs into their bodies with syringes, without monitoring their cleanliness and sterility. You can get infected even in the tattoo parlor, where the piercing is done, in the hairdresser and other places where you can be injected, scratched or something like that. Often people catch hepatitis B directly in health facilities.
The virus can be transmitted through the bloodstream or through any other carrier fluid. In addition to the cases listed above, it is worth adding that you can catch it during intercourse, with a blood transfusion, and it can be transmitted to the child from the mother.
An important question is whether it is necessary to isolate carriers of hepatitis B from society. It has already been mentioned that the virus is present in all biological fluids of a person, however, it must be clarified that through urine, saliva, and tears, it is practically impossible to get infected through intact skin areas . This means that you should not be particularly afraid of household contact with someone who is a carrier of hepatitis B.
At risk of infection are those who:
- leads an erratic sex life and is rarely protected;
- uses injecting drugs;
- works in the field of healthcare;
- lives next door to an infected person;
- born of an infected mother.
Hepatitis B: symptoms
The incubation period in this case lasts from two to six months. The first symptoms include fever, headaches, weakness, aching throughout the body. The initial symptoms of hepatitis B are in many ways similar to the symptoms of ordinary ARI.
A few days after this, jaundice appears, nausea, appetite worsens, profuse vomiting, pain occurs in the right hypochondrium. The feces become colorless, and the urine darkens noticeably. As a rule, after the appearance of jaundice, all symptoms begin to subside.
Normal immunity will quickly overcome this virus, but low immunity can cause hepatitis B to become chronic. For such hepatitis B, liver enlargement, pain in the hypochondrium, all kinds of dyspeptic symptoms are very characteristic . In rare cases, jaundice, low-grade fever, and itchy skin appear.
Abdominal bloating, loose stools, belching, sweating, drowsiness, and also weakness, which also makes it impossible to work normally, do not give patients rest. Chronic Hepatitis B slowly but surely destroys the liver, gradually depriving it of the ability to perform its basic functions.
Hepatitis B treatment
Treatment in this case should be under the supervision of a doctor. It includes procedures, medications, and special diets. The patient should not eat fatty foods, and he is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol.
Chronic hepatitis can be completely and completely cured only in ten fifteen percent of all cases. It is imperative to contact specialists.