Chronic hepatitis B is a serious infection of the liver that is caused by contact with a virus known as HBV. The virus is normally contracted through contact with an infected individual's body fluids from sexual activity or using the same needle during intravenous drug use. It can result in severe liver damage, such as cancer, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, fatigue, and a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes called jaundice. Treatment options are limited, but can be effective.
Instructions
1. Contact a medical professional immediately of you think you may have been infected. An injection with hepatitis B immune globulin within 24 hours can often prevent the disease. You should also begin a series of three hepatitis B vaccination shots, according to the Mayo Clinic.
2. Begin drug therapy if hepatitis B is diagnosed. Available drugs include Interferon, which can stimulate your body's immune system against HBV; Telbivudine, which can stop replication of HBV in your cells; Entecavir, which is an antiviral medication taken in pill form; Lamivudine, which works much like Telbivudine but is not as strong; and Adefovir dipivoxil, which can also prevent the replication of HBV in cells, according to the Mayo Clinic.
3. Discuss with your doctor the pertinent factors indicating which drug should be administered and for how long, including your gender and how long you have been infected. The initial goal of drug treatment is to reduce the viral load and strength the immune system, and Entecavir is often prescribed for this purpose, according to Hepatitis B Advocate.
4. Undergo a liver transplant if medication proves ineffective. While improvements in medical technology have made liver transplants more successful, there still is a huge shortage of available livers to meet demand, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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