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Hepatitis B Who is at risk? What is hepatitis B? Infants born to infected mothers A viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver Persons who have unprotected sex with a person infected with hepatitis B Many people with hepatitis do not have any symptoms, or they think they have the flu for several days. IV drug users who share needles with a person infected with hepatitis B If they do have symptoms, the typical symptoms are: Hemodialysis patients Health care workers including first responders and students What are the symptoms? HEPATITIS B loss of appetite fatigue mild fever nausea & vomiting dark brown urine general achiness yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice) light colored stools How is hepatitis B spread? Hepatitis B is very infectious. It can be spread by people who do not know they have the disease. It is spread: through sexual contact via semen and blood by sharing used needles and syringes when injecting drugs How long after I am infected will I become ill? The incubation period is 4 to 26 weeks, usually 8 to 12 weeks. How is it diagnosed? Your doctor will do a physical examination, and order blood tests to determine the type of hepatitis you have. The physician will also need to determine if the hepatitis is caused by alcohol or drugs/medicines you are taking, or other viruses. How long does the disease last? by tattooing needles and body piercing instruments, if not correctly sterilized Symptoms usually last several weeks. It usually takes 6 months for complete recovery. by infected mothers to their babies. During prenatal care a test will be done to determine if you have the disease or are a carrier. by sharing toothbrushes and razors with an infected person If you have not completely cleared the virus from your blood within 6 months, you are considered chronically infected and are a hepatitis B carrier. This occurs in about 5-10% of adults and 25-90% of children under age five. Usually there are no signs or symptoms of chronic infection, but the disease can be passed on to other people as above. by contact with the blood of an infected person What is the treatment for hepatitis B? Rest, a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol and certain drugs for at least 6 months are all part of recovery from Hepatitis B. Ask your doctor about current medications. Sexual partners and household members of chronic hepatitis B carriers should be vaccinated against hepatitis B Always tell your health care providers that you have hepatitis B. If you are a carrier, always share this information with sexual partners, paramedics, physicians, and other health care providers. There is no medication to take that will treat Hepatitis B. For chronic Hepatitis B, a drug called Interferon helps about 50% of those treated. What type of follow-up care do I need? How can I keep from getting hepatitis B? Get hepatitis B vaccine (a series of 3 injections over 6 months) Practice safe sex - use a condom Clean up blood spills completely. After the spill is removed, disinfect with a 1 to 10 dilution of bleach or other disinfectant, using gloves Do not share toothbrushes and razors Do not have tattoos or body piercing or use injection drugs Your physician will do follow-up blood work to determine if the virus has cleared from your blood. If you are a carrier, you should discuss monitoring and treatment options with your physician. Where can I get more information? If I have hepatitis B, how can I keep from spreading it? Practice safe sex Do not share injection drug needles, razor blades or electric razors, or toothbrushes If you get any of your blood on anything, clean it up using a dilute solution of bleach or a disinfectant. Do not donate blood. Hepatitis Foundation International 30 Sunrise Terrace, Cedar Grove, New Jersey 07009 800-891-0707 714-654-4250 American Liver Foundation http://www.liverfoundation.org/ Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 GOLIVER (465-4837) 1425 800- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 888-443-7232 http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/hepatitis. htm For more information: