Hepatitis B
Hepatitis is the inflammation (swelling) of the liver. Several things can cause hepatitis including heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and medical conditions. However, hepatitis is usually caused by a virus.
There are different types of hepatitis, named after the virus that causes them. Hepatitis B is one of them.
What is hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus. Unlike hepatitis A, hepatitis B can cause serious liver problems which can result in cirrhosis of the liver (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer.
Hepatitis B infections can be acute (last less than six months) or chronic (last more than six months). In acute infections, the body clears the virus, and the person recovers. Chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong illness. In Australia, around 222,500 people live with chronic hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B is a notifiable disease in Australia means health authorities must be notified if you have the disease.
Vaccination can prevent hepatitis B.
What are the symptoms of hepatitis B?
Most people don’t have symptoms when they are first infected with hepatitis B. Symptoms usually develop within one to four months after infection. However, sometimes they may appear in as little as two weeks.
When symptoms develop they may include.
abdominal pain on the right side (where the liver is)
rashes
nausea or vomiting
loss of appetite
fever
aching muscles or joints
fatigue
dark urine
yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
The hepatitis B virus is passed on through blood, semen, and other bodily fluids. However, it’s not spread through sneezing and coughing, or contaminated food and drink. You also can’t catch it from saliva, tears or breast milk.
Common ways the infection is passed on are:
sexual contact
sharing personal items like razors, nail clippers or toothbrushes
sharing of contaminated needles and other drug-injecting equipment
contaminated tattoo needles and equipment
needle stick injuries
close contact with someone who has hepatitis B
from mother to child during childbirth.
How is hepatitis B diagnosed?
Hepatitis B is usually diagnosed with a blood test. Other tests to diagnose any complications include a liver ultrasound and liver biopsy (where a small sample of liver tissue is removed and tested).
Is hepatitis B curable?
Around 95% of adults who get hepatitis B recover completely within six months and don’t need ongoing medical care.
However, some people can end up with long-term infections called chronic hepatitis B, which may require treatment. Treatment aims to maintain good health, rather than cure the illness.
Treatment of hepatitis B
If your doctor thinks you have acute hepatitis B you may not need treatment. You should:
drinking plenty of fluids
eat a healthy diet
rest
avoid drinking alcohol.
In severe cases, antiviral medication may be recommended to avoid complications.
If you have chronic hepatitis B you’ll probably need treatment for the rest of your life. This aims to reduce the risk of liver disease and prevent you from passing the infection on to other people. Treatment may involve:
antiviral medications to help fight the virus and slow potential liver damage
injections of a medication called interferon [JK1] which helps your body fight infection — although pregnant women should not have interferon
liver transplant, in the case of severe liver damage.
If you’ve been exposed to hepatitis B and haven’t been immunised, speak to your doctor. Some treatments can greatly reduce the risk of you becoming infected.
Hepatitis B and pregnancy
All women should have a hepatitis B test early in their pregnancy. If you have the virus while you are pregnant, there are treatments to reduce the risk of you passing it to your baby. It’s not generally recommended to have a hepatitis B vaccination while you’re pregnant.
Other complications with hepatitis B
People with chronic hepatitis B are at an increased risk of developing several complications such as:
cirrhosis
reduced liver function
liver cancer.
What else can you do to prevent hepatitis B?
You can also prevent hepatitis B infection by:
using condoms when having sex
covering wounds or cuts with a dressing
not sharing personal items (e.g. toothbrushes, razors, clippers, etc)
only going to piercing and tattoo studios that use proper sterilisation techniques
using gloves when performing first aid.
Disclaimers
General advice only – this information should not replace the information provided to you by your health care professional. If symptoms are severe or persist, please speak to your health care professional. Information current as of date of publishing.
*In NSW the following criteria applies to receive a funded vaccines under NSW Health (administration fee will still apply)
As recommended by the Australian Immunisation Handbook, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended and free for:
Aboriginal people
Household and sexual contacts of acute and chronic hepatitis B cases
Immunosuppressed people
People with HIV or hepatitis C
Men who have sex with men
Injecting drug users
Sex workers
Clients of sexual health clinics (at LHD discretion)