Chronic Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and can cause both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) hepatitis. With the help of modern antiviral medications, the infection can be effectively controlled. However, if left untreated, it may progress to cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure.
Family members of affected individuals should also be screened for Hepatitis B to prevent further spread.
Transmission Routes and Risks:
Hepatitis B spreads through several routes, including:
- Mother-to-child transmission during childbirth (vertical transmission)
- Close contact during childhood through open cuts or sores
- Sexual contact between partners
- Blood transfusion with infected blood products
- Sharing of needles among drug users
Risk Factors:
You are at higher risk of infection if you have:
- Close or household contact with an HBsAg-positive person
- Intravenous drug use
- Received contaminated blood or blood products
- Undergone surgery with non-sterile instruments
- Tattoos or piercings done with unclean equipment
- Hemodialysis treatment
Disease Overview
Hepatitis B can cause either acute or chronic liver inflammation:
Acute Hepatitis B
This form appears suddenly with symptoms such as:
- Fever, body ache, nausea, and vomiting, followed by jaundice
- Liver function tests (LFTs) show elevated bilirubin and high SGOT/SGPT levels
- Blood tests reveal positive HBsAg and IgM anti-HBc
Most acute cases (over 90%) recover completely as the body clears the virus on its own. About 5% of patients progress to chronic infection, and around 1% may develop acute liver failure, requiring ICU care or liver transplantation.
Chronic Hepatitis B
Chronic infection involves persistent, low-grade liver inflammation, often causing tiredness and mildly elevated liver enzymes.
It progresses through four stages:
- Immune tolerance phase
- Immune clearance phase
- Immune control phase
- Immune escape phase
Approximately 30% of chronic Hepatitis B patients are at risk of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer over time.
Treatment:
The main goal of treatment is to identify patients at risk of liver damage and treat them with potent antiviral drugs to control the infection, reduce liver inflammation, and prevent long-term complications like cirrhosis and cancer.