Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B Causes
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus (also known as HBV). HBV can lead to a wide spectrum of symptoms ranging from general malaise to chronic liver disease that can lead to liver cancer. The hepatitis B virus spreads through infected body fluids (such as blood, saliva, semen, vaginal fluids, tears, and urine), a contaminated blood transfusion, shared contaminated needles or syringes for injecting drugs, sexual activity with an HBV-infected person, and through transmission from HBV-infected mothers to their newborn babies.
Hepatitis B Definition
Hepatitis (plural hepatitides) implies injury to liver marked by presence of inflammatory cells in the liver tissue.
Hepatitis B Diagnosis
These viral hepatitis conditions can be diagnosed and followed through the use of readily available blood tests.
Hepatitis B Symptoms and Signs
Clinically, the course of acute hepatitis varies greatly from mild symptoms requiring no treatment to fulminant hepatic failure needing liver transplantation. Initial features are of nonspecific flu-like symptoms, commonly seen in almost all acute viral infections and may include malaise, muscle and joint aches, fever, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. More specific symptoms, which can be found in acute hepatitis from any cause, are: profound loss of appetite, aversion to smoking among smokers, dark urine, yellowing of the eyes and skin (i.e., jaundice) and abdominal discomfort.
Hepatitis B Treatment
Hepatitis B may sometimes be treated using certain medications. There are six FDA-approved treatment options available for individuals with a chronic hepatitis B infection. These are alpha-interferon, pegylated interferon adefovir, entecavir, telbivudine and lamivudine. About 65% of patients on treatment achieve a sustained response.
Drugs used for treatment of Hepatitis B
Adefovir