Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B This is a viral infection which is 100 times more infectious than HIV. It is an inflammation of the liver that can, in extreme cases, lead to serious liver damage.

What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a liver infection that is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The infection is often asymptomatic, and those symptoms that do occur are often mistaken for flu. Hepatitis B can occur as either an acute infection - meaning it is only short-term - or as a chronic infection, which means it lasts longer than six months. The virus is transmitted through sexual activity when adequate protection is not used, and also by sharing needles. It is possible for a mother to pass on the virus to her baby during pregnancy.

Hepatitis B is not a common STI in the UK, as only around seven in every 100,000 people are infected. It is a bigger problem elsewhere in the world, and a significant number of those who become infected in the UK contract the virus through unprotected sexual activity abroad. The virus is extremely infectious, but it is easily treatable.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms are rare with hepatitis B, because if they do occur they could include:

• flu-like symptoms
• loss of appetite and weight
• jaundice
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhoea
• stomach pains

Hepatitis B can become chronic in 1 in 20 adults, which is when a person stays infected for more than six months. People with chronic hepatitis B do not always know they have it, as symptoms are largely unnoticeable and tend to come and go. Chronic cases of hepatitis B can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver cancer.

What are the risks?

Many people who are infected with hepatitis B can effectively fight off the virus with rest rather than medical treatment. However, complications can arise if the infection becomes chronic. Such complications can include cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure, blood vessel inflammation and kidney problems. It is also possible for a person who has a chronic hepatitis B infection to become infected with hepatitis D, which can only occur if you are already infected with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis A and C

Hepatitis A is the most common type of infective hepatitis. It is not a sexually transmitted infection, and is usually spread through contaminated food or water. It is not very common in the UK and most people who contract the infection recover fully after several weeks.

Hepatitis C is a common cause of chronic liver disease. It is usually asymptomatic and is generally accepted to be the most serious hepatitis infection. The virus is spread through blood contact, or contact with other bodily fluids, though this is far less common. There is a slight risk of spreading the infection through unprotected sexual contact, but this is very rare and hepatitis C is not considered to be a sexually transmitted disease.

Can you cure hepatitis B?

People who have acute hepatitis B are usually advised to rest to allow the body to fight off the infection naturally. Occasionally painkillers are prescribed for symptoms that are particularly problematic. This infection usually clears after a few weeks.

If the infection is chronic, there are two types of treatment. The first, interferon, is a protein that naturally occurs in your body as a response to viral infections. It is given in the form of an injection to help the body fight the virus. An alternative to interferon is antiviral medication, including lamivudine, tenofovir, entecavir and adefovir.

Getting tested for hepatitis B

Hepatitis B can only be diagnosed after a blood sample has been taken and analysed, therefore it is not possible for LabsDirect to provide this test. However, you can request a test from your local GP or GUM clinic. Usually a hepatitis test checks for specific anti-bodies in your blood, but additional tests such as a liver function test or PCR test (to check whether the hepatitis C virus is still reproducing) can help doctors make a clearer diagnosis.