Learn About Hepatitis B Symptoms And Risks

(CTN News) – However, experts say we do not need to worry about hepatitis B every day.
While there are several types of hepatitis – A, B, C, D, and E – all of them describe inflammation of the liver, according to gastroenterologist David Rzepczynski, MD at OSF HealthCare in Urbana, Illinois.

A description of how it spreads

According to Dr. Rzepczynski, hepatitis B is most commonly transmitted through body fluids such as blood, saliva, and fluids from the genital area.

Among the most common scenarios, he says, is young adults spreading the disease through the sharing of needles for the purpose of injecting drugs. It is also possible for the disease to spread through sexual relations between people who are infected.

There are also scenarios that occur on a daily basis. There is a possibility that someone may share a toothbrush or a shaving razor with someone close to them. During roughhousing outside, children may get cut, exposing their blood to others.

However, Dr. Rzepczynski emphasizes that hepatitis B is not a major concern when your children are on a playground, for instance. Do not allow them to come into contact with blood. Families, roommates, and partners should know in advance if the individuals they are around have the virus or have been exposed to it.

Don’t worry about contracting hepatitis B from donated blood in 2023.

Due to advancements in testing, Dr. Rzepczynski states that this is almost nonexistent now.

Blood banks evaluate blood donations based on the risk of contracting hepatitis B and transmitting it to others, according to Dr. Rzepczynski. The risk is currently one in a million.

Signs and symptoms

Hepatitis B does not always cause symptoms. The symptoms of an acute, sudden infection, however, may include fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, pain in the upper right abdomen, and less desire to smoke.

Approximately 30% of people with acute hepatitis B develop jaundice, the hallmark symptom of liver disease, according to Dr. Rzepczynski.

In yellow jaundice, the skin will have a yellowish tint. The whites of the eyes will have a yellowish tint, according to Dr. Rzepczynski. There are times when it can be very subtle.

Depending on the lighting, you may not even notice it. As an alternative, a person might appear dressed for Halloween. Their appearance is similar to that of a pumpkin.”

According to Dr. Rzepczynski, cirrhosis of the liver is the principal long-term effect of hepatitis B, and it can be fatal.

As a result of scarring of the liver and the buildup of scar tissue, the liver can shrink in size. As a result of scarring, your liver does not function as well.

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