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Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is
called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis
(scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
The symptoms of acute (newly acquired) hepatitis A, B and C are the same.
Symptoms occur more often in adults than in children. If symptoms occur, they
might include:
-tiredness
-loss of appetite
-nausea
-abdominal discomfort
-dark urine
-clay-colored bowel movements
-yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
HBV is spread when blood or body fluids from an infected person enters the body
of a person who is not infected. For example, HBV is spread through having sex
with an infected person without using a condom (the efficacy of latex condoms
in preventing infection with HBV is unknown, but their proper use might reduce
transmission), by sharing drugs, needles, or "works" when "shooting" drugs,
through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job, or from an infected mother
to her baby during birth.
Can I donate blood if I have had any type of viral hepatitis?
If you had any type of viral hepatitis since age 11, you are not eligible to
donate blood. In addition, if you ever tested positive for hepatitis B or
hepatitis C, at any age, you are not eligible to donate, even if you were never
sick or jaundiced from the infection.
HBV can survive outside the body at least 7 days and still be capable of
transmitting infection.
Long-term studies of healthy adults and children indicate that hepatitis B
vaccine protects against chronic HBV infection for at least 15 years, even
though antibody levels might decline below detectable levels.
No, booster doses of hepatitis B vaccine are not recommended routinely. Data
show that vaccine-induced hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) levels might
decline over time; however, immune memory (anamnestic anti-HBs response)
remains intact indefinitely following immunization. People with declining
antibody levels are still protected against clinical illness and chronic
disease.
“Hepatitis B carrier” is a term that is sometimes used to indicate people who
have chronic (long-term) infection with HBV. If infected, two percent to 6% of
persons over 5 years of age; 30% of children 1-5 years of age; and up to 90% of
infants develop chronic infection. Persons with chronic infection can infect
others and are at increased risk of serious liver disease including cirrhosis
and liver cancer. In the United States, an estimated 1.25 million people are
chronically infected with HBV.
No. If the vaccination series is interrupted, resume with the next dose in the
series.
There are three drugs licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic
hepatitis B: Adefovir dipivoxil, alpha interferon, and lamivudine.
In 2001, an estimated 78,000 persons in the U.S. were infected with HBV. People
of all ages get hepatitis B and about 5,000 die per year of sickness caused by
HBV.
One out of 20 people in the United States will get infected with HBV some time
during their lives. Your risk is higher if you have sex with someone infected
with HBV have sex with more than one partner shoot drugs are a man and have sex
with a man live in the same house with someone who has lifelong HBV infection
have a job that involves contact with human blood are a patient or work in a
home for the developmentally disabled have hemophilia travel to areas where
hepatitis B is common (view map). Your risk is also higher if your
parents were born in Southeast Asia, Africa, the Amazon Basin in South America,
the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. If you are at risk for HBV infection,
ask your health care provider about hepatitis B vaccine.
You get hepatitis B by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an
infected person; for example, you can become infected by having sex or sharing
needles with an infected person. A baby can get hepatitis B from an infected
mother during childbirth.
Hepatitis B is not spread through food or water or by casual contact.
You may have hepatitis B (and be spreading the disease) and not know it;
sometimes a person with HBV infection has no symptoms at all. Only a blood test
can tell for sure. If you have symptoms your eyes or skin may turn yellow
you may lose your appetite you may have nausea. vomiting, fever, stomach or
joint pain you may feel extremely tired and not be able to work for weeks or
months.
There are medications available to treat long-lasting (chronic) HBV-infection.
These work for some people, but there is no cure for hepatitis B when you first
get it. That is why prevention is so important. Hepatitis B vaccine is the best
protection against HBV. Three doses are commonly needed for complete
protection.
If you have HBV in your blood, you can give hepatitis B to your baby. Babies who
get HBV at birth may have the virus for the rest of their lives, can spread the
disease, and can get cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
All pregnant women should be tested for HBV early in their pregnancy. If the
blood test is positive, the baby should receive vaccine along with another
shot, hepatitis B immune globulin (called HBIG), at birth. The second dose of
vaccine should be given at 1-2 months of age and the third dose at 6 months of
age.
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All babies, at birth
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All children 0-18 years of age who have not been vaccinated
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Persons of any age whose behavior puts them at high risk for HBV infection
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Persons whose jobs expose them to human blood
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