What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is the name given to the infection of the liver that is common all over the world. The cause of the disease is the hepatitis B virus, the hepatitis B virus also gave its name to the disease it causes. Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted from person to person through blood, blood products and infected body fluids. Moreover, unprotected sex, drug use, unclean needles and medical devices, and pregnancy can cause a person with hepatitis B virus to infect even their unborn baby. However, contrary to what many people think, hepatitis B virus is not transmitted by eating from a common bowl, drinking from the same glass, swimming in the pool together, kissing, coughing, using the same toilet. The infected person may not show any symptoms of hepatitis B. And he can unintentionally infect the people around him. In such cases, it would not be right to blame the person. Because a person cannot take precautions not to infect the people around him with a virus that he does not even know he has.

Pregnancy (to baby), use of shared toothbrush, tooth extraction with dirty instruments, operations with unclean instruments, circumcision procedures with unclean instruments, ear piercing, ear piercing without cleaning, razor blades, scissors, uncleaned manicure tools, uncleaned pedicure tools, drugs Substance use and sexual intercourse with an individual with hepatitis B virus cause hepatitis B virus to be transmitted.

Hepatitis B Symptoms and Treatment

As the hepatitis B virus will not show any symptoms in the person it is present, it may also have symptoms such as joint pain, jaundice, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea-vomiting, diarrhea, skin sensitivity, loss of appetite, weakness, and high fever. Children with hepatitis B virus are more likely to be asymptomatic than show symptoms. But 70 percent of adults who have the hepatitis B virus show symptoms. Symptoms appear on average 3 months after a person is infected with the hepatitis B virus. However, the duration of symptoms can vary between six weeks and six months. People who have the disease without symptoms (that is, without knowing that they carry the hepatitis B virus) are called contagious. Because they transmit the virus to others. If the hepatitis B disease still persists after 6 months, that is, if the person's immune system has not been able to cope with the hepatitis B virus, it is now chronic hepatitis B disease. Chronic hepatitis B may not respond at all for many years. However, it does not mean that it does not adversely affect the liver health of the person who does not react. The person's liver continues to be adversely affected. And these people struggle with diseases such as liver cancer and cirrhosis in the future.

Diagnosis of hepatitis B disease is made by a blood test. In acute cases of hepatitis B, no treatment is generally required. In cases of chronic hepatitis B, there are many various drug options for treatment. Although the hepatitis B virus can be controlled as a result of the treatment applied, it is not possible to completely eradicate the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B treatment is generally done with drugs taken orally. However, a liver transplant may be required for hepatitis B patients whose liver has been severely damaged. The fact that hepatitis B virus inflammations become chronic, that is, cause progressive results, is inversely proportional to the age of the person. It is seen that 90% of babies who get HBV virus from their mothers have hepatitis B virus between the ages of 1-5, and 30-50% of children struggle with hepatitis B virus in a chronic form. The risk of chronic hepatitis B inflammation in adults is about 5%. That's why you should get the hepatitis B virus vaccine before your child grows up. For the health of both your child and those around you, you should definitely get vaccinated.