HBV virus causes liver inflammation which is known as Hepatitis B. HBV is just one of the five kinds of viral hepatitis. The other types of hepatitis are E, D, C and A. The HBV infection might be chronic or acute in nature. If the infection is chronic, the symptoms would show up quicker in adults. Children manifest acute hepatitis B symptoms rarely. The chances of any HBV infection in children are far likelier to be chronic. Chronic hepatitis B has a slow development period. Symptoms might not get noticed until the time any complications arise. It can be highly contagious in nature. It can spread via contact with saliva, infected blood and different body fluids. Symptoms might not show up for a few days post virus exposure. However, even without any symptoms, the infection can progress.
Hepatitis B affects the liver. However, for many individuals, the virus does not show any symptoms, and many people would be unaware of the fact that they have the virus. There are two stages of the virus – The acute stage and the chronic stage. In the acute stage, the virus has been diagnosed before, and the doctor focuses on avoiding its spread and the damage to the liver. In many cases, you might not need any treatment as the virus has a tendency to dissolve on its own. Often the doctor might suggest changes to your dietary pattern and intake of fluids.
For safer results, once you have been diagnosed with the virus you might have to take the Hepatitis B immunoglobulin shot along with the vaccine shot. In chronic cases, your doctor’s primary focus would be to curtail the spread of the virus and to prevent further damages to your liver. Antiviral medications might be given to achieve this. However hepatitis B medicines may not be suitable for everyone, and there could be some side effects when undergoing the treatment.
Hepatitis B is an acute or chronic inflammation of the liver that mainly involves four stages depending upon the extent and severity of the disease. Stage 1 is characterized by fibrosis that is mild without the presence of scarring, while a moderate level of fibrosis is evident in stage 2 with the presence of scarring. Stage 3 shows bridging fibrosis as well as scarring that has touched different regions of the liver and the last stage i.e Stage 4 witnesses the severity of the disease by showing cirrhosis.
Possible ways of transmission are:
Early signs and symptoms of Hepatitis B are not visible in every case. Around 30 to 50 % of people get an early indication and other have to encounter sudden chronic damages. It is advised to consult a doctor as soon as possible in case of configuring any of the symptoms. The early symptoms are listed as:
Hepatitis B is an infection that adversely affects one of the vital organs of the body i.e liver. As the liver plays an important role in the body's metabolism, any abnormality in it may lead to the symptoms such as loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, and susceptibility to infections, ultimately leading to weight loss. As a result of developed malnutrition, a loss in muscle mass occurs that is followed by weight loss.
Hepatitis B infection can be prevented via the following ways:
Hepatitis B may be acute or chronic. In acute conditions, treatment is not needed usually and recovery occurs itself enhanced by rest and adequate water intake, while the chronic condition is treated by a proper application of antiviral drugs. Any of these conditions if left untreated, can lead to gradual liver damage, resulting in serious complications such as cirrhosis or liver failure that can only be treated by the liver transplant method.
Simple ways for preventing hepatitis B from Spreading are:
Requested or routine screening tests can usually help doctors in diagnosing HBV. Patients might require screening for HBV if:
Hepatitis B is a contagious disease and it can be transmitted from one person to another by means of body fluids such as blood. Some of the activities resulting from this infection include vaginal or anal sex, living in close proximity to the person having a chronic infection, sharing of needles, infected mother giving birth to her child, human bites, etc. Hence it is categorized as a sexually transmitted disease.
The hepatitis B treatment depends on how far the virus has spread in your body and how much damage your liver has undergone. The treatment also depends majorly on how free your body is from other chronic medical ailments.
The best treatment that can ultimately curb the virus from becoming active in your body is to take the hepatitis B vaccine. Also, you really have to be careful, and you should avoid getting unprotected sex. Also there more chances of you getting the infection from sharing the needles with your drug partner.
The virus strain can be either acute or chronic. For the acute cases, you might not need any medications. You have to change your dietary patterns, and you have intake a lot of fluids. However, you have to go for regular visits to your doctor to check for the activeness of the virus. In chronic cases, you may have to depend on medications, and these can be for an extended period.
The medications act differently for every individual, and there is no specific time limit for getting cured. In advanced cases when your liver is beyond repair, a liver transplant might be the only solution, and even that cannot be possible for many individuals.
Hepatitis B is a communicable disease and can be transmitted easily through infected body fluids such as blood. A time period of 3 months from the day of exposure is considered to be quite risky or unsafe as the infected person becomes the reservoir of the infection and can transmit it to anyone who comes in contact with his infected blood. Being contagious, that person may or may not have symptoms related to Hepatitis B.
Once you are vaccinated, you will not have a chance of getting the hepatitis B virus. For others who have undergone the treatment options, you would not have the symptoms again, but still, the damage to your liver in some cases can be permanent. It depends on how far the virus has affected your liver and how your body has responded to the treatment.
You have to make some changes in your food habits and lifestyle. Consume fresh fruits like strawberries, oranges etc. Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated. Consume coconut water to maintain electrolyte balances.
Hepatitis adversely affects the liver, hence it is quite important to have a healthy diet as well as a healthy lifestyle. A nutritious well-balanced diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as oats, barley, brown rice, and quinoa, protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, beans, and chicken, fat-free dairy products, and healthy fats like nuts, avocados, and olive oil.
The natural treatments are supportive in nature and have not yet proven to fully eradicate the virus from the body. Thus, these are to be considered as supportive treatment. Some of them are as follows:
Safety: Medium
Effectiveness: Medium
Timeliness: High
Relative Risk: High
Side Effects: High
Recovery Time: Medium
Price Range: RS. 1000 - RS. 4000
Summary: Hepatitis B is an acute or chronic inflammation of the liver which is contagious. It adversely affects the liver, hence it is quite important to have a healthy diet as well as a healthy lifestyle. A nutritious well-balanced diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as oats, barley, brown rice, and quinoa, protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, beans, and chicken, fat-free dairy products, and healthy fats like nuts, avocados, and olive oil.