Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by a virus, which can be either short-term or long-term. Hepatitis B is a major global health concern and is most prevalent in the western Pacific, Africa and south east Asia. The infection can lead to chronic illness, significantly increasing the risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Adults are more likely to develop the acute form of the disease, while children are more likely to have the chronic form.
Most people do not experience any symptoms when newly infected. However, some people can have acute illness and symptoms can include:
Most people do not have any lasting problems after having a hepatitis B infection. However, chronic hepatitis B can cause liver damage (cirrhosis) and increase the risk of getting liver cancer if left untreated. It is important to take any medicine prescribed and attend regular check-ups to ensure the liver is functioning properly.
The virus is spread through contact with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, saliva, vaginal fluids, and semen. In areas where it is most prevalent, it is mainly spread from mother to child at birth or from an infected child to an uninfected child during the first five years of life.
Hepatitis B can also be spread through needlestick injuries, tattooing, piercing, and exposure to infected blood and body fluids. Transmission can occur through the reuse of contaminated needles and syringes.
There is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B. Care focuses on treating the symptom including administering fluids to prevent dehydration. Medicines, such as painkillers, can be offered to help with symptoms. Chronic hepatitis B can be treated with oral medicines, such as tenofovir or entecavir.
Treatment can slow the advance of cirrhosis, reduce cases of liver cancer, and improve long-term survival. Most people who start hepatitis B treatment must continue it for life. A liver specialist may be required to monitor the liver.
Hepatitis B is preventable with a vaccine. In the UK babies receive three doses of the vaccine as part of the routine immunisation schedule. Babies born to mothers who have the infection receive six doses, with the first administered within 24 hours of birth. The vaccine will prevent the baby developing the disease.
Booster vaccines are not usually required for people who have completed the three-dose vaccination.
Other ways to reduce risk:
While it had been recognised since the 1940s that there were two different types of hepatitis – A and B – it was the discovery of the “Australia” antigen in 1965 that kickstarted research into hepatitis. Today, it is recognised that there are five main types of the disease – A, B, C, D and E. They all cause liver disease but they differ in terms of transmission, disease severity and geographical spread, with types B and C causing the greatest disease burden.
A hepatitis B vaccine was first developed in the early 1970s and blood banks began screening donated blood for the disease at around the same time. Since 2017 all babies in the UK receive the hepatitis B vaccine as part of the routine immunisation schedule
britishlivertrust.org.uk/hepatitis-b/
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