What is hepatitis B?

A liver infection known as hepatitis B is brought on by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). One of the five varieties of viral hepatitis is HBV. Hepatitis A, C, D, and E make up the other four. The kinds B and C viruses are the most prone to develop into chronic illnesses out of all the virus types.

Acute or chronic HBV infections are both possible.

Adults with acute hepatitis B experience a sudden onset of symptoms. Rarely do newborns who are infected at birth only get acute hepatitis B. The majority of baby hepatitis B infections progress to chronic disease.

Hepatitis B: Is it spreadable?

The hepatitis B virus spreads quickly. Contact with contaminated blood and specific other bodily fluids is how it spreads. Although the virus can be discovered in saliva, it cannot be transmitted through kissing or sharing utensils. Additionally, it cannot be transmitted through coughing, nursing, or sneezing. Hepatitis B symptoms can take two to twelve weeks to manifest and may take three months after exposure. Even when you are symptom-free, you are still infectious. The virus can survive outside the host for up to seven days.

Possible transmission techniques include:

Direct contact with infected blood that is transferred from the mother to the baby during childbirth being pricked with a contaminated needle having close contact with someone who has HBV through oral, vag!nal, or anal s*x using a razor or any other personal item that has been in contact with infected fluid.

CAUSES OF HEPATITIS B.

The hepatitis B virus is what causes hepatitis B infection (HBV). Through blood, semen, or other bodily fluids, the virus is transferred from one person to another.

HBV is typically caused by:

1. Physical intimacy

If you engage in unprotected s*x with an infected partner whose blood, saliva, semen, or vaginal fluids enter your body, you could become infected.

2. Sharing syringes.

Needles and syringes infected with infectious blood make excellent carriers of HBV. Hepatitis B infection is quite likely if you share IV medication supplies.

Health care professionals and everyone else who comes into contact with human blood should be concerned about hepatitis B.

4. Mother to offspring.

HBV-positive pregnant mothers can deliver the virus to their unborn children. Almost always, though, the infant can be immunized to avoid contracting the infection. If you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, discuss the possibility of getting tested for hepatitis B with your doctor.

SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS.

Hepatitis B symptoms, which can range in severity from moderate to severe, typically start to show up one to four months after infection. Hepatitis B symptoms and signs include:

1. Abdominal pain
2. Fever and dark urine
3. Aching joints
4. Reduced appetite
5. Nausea and diarrhoea
6. Fatigue and weakness
7. Your skin and the whites of your eyes become yellow (jaundice)

Hepatitis B Home Remedies.

Self-care aims to reduce symptoms and stop the disease from getting worse.

• Consume plenty of liquids to avoid becoming dehydrated. The favoured options include fruit juices, broth, sports drinks, gelatin, ice cream (like Popsicles), and sports drinks because they all contain calories.

• Before taking any drug, even those available over the counter, see your doctor. Some medications are dependent on the liver, and liver impairment may make it harder for the body to process these medications. Consult your doctor if you are taking prescription medicine to determine whether the doses need to be changed or if you should temporarily stop taking the drug.

• Before receiving permission from your doctor, refrain from drinking alcohol. Chronic HBV patients should abstain from alcohol for the rest of their life.