Dr. Cathy Stephenson: All You Need to Know About Hepatitis B

Last Friday, World Hepatitis Day was the occasion for organizations like the Foundation of the Hepatitis B. New Zealand hepatitis to bring to light this silent but very serious disease. This year's New Zealand campaign was focused on hepatitis B, one of three types of hepatitis viruses that all affect the liver.

Hepatitis B is a major problem on a global scale. More than one million people die each year from a hepatitis B related illness, and 250 of them are New Zealanders. A total of 100,000 Kiwis are infected with the virus, many of which will have no idea at all unless they are tested. It is the most common serious liver infection in the world, and the leading cause of liver cancer.

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There are two forms of hepatitis B – the stage of acute infection, and chronic stage or "carrier"

]] Acute infection: The hepatitis B virus is transmitted through sexual contact, exposure to infected blood, pregnancy or childbirth. Once you have been exposed to the virus, you may or may not develop symptoms. Some people will recover without feeling sick, while others will suffer within a period of one to six months after being exposed. Symptoms include fatigue, malaise, abdominal pain, fevers, nausea and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes, and dark urine). Most people recover within a few weeks after an acute infection, but a small number of them become "chronically infected" – they continue to transmit the virus into their bloodstream and can pass it on to other people. ;other people. You are much more likely to become a chronic carrier if you have contracted the virus as a baby or child, rather than in adulthood.

Chronic Infection: Two-thirds of chronic carriers will never develop all the symptoms or become sick themselves, but they are always a potential risk to others, hence the need for know your "status" carrier to protect those around you. Others will not be so lucky, and will continue to have symptoms of liver damage, often decades after the initial infection, and even liver failure or cancer if the disease is not detected early enough.

In New Zealand, Immunization Since 1987, all babies and children under 18 have access to hepatitis B for free. Almost everyone will be immune and protected for life. A small number will require a recharge "reminder" at a later stage. However, we do know that some groups are at higher risk and should be tested – this includes people unvaccinated by choice, as well as people who have emigrated to New Zealand from parts of the world where vaccination is not available. not systematic. Some populations are also at a much higher risk of contracting hepatitis B, including Maori, Pacifica and people from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and current recommendations are that all members of these populations should be screened [19659006] The Hep B test is simple: a routine blood test can detect whether you have ever been exposed to the virus, whether you are immunized or if you are a chronic carrier. Blood tests can also determine if the virus becomes active again and you may develop liver damage.

If you know your status and find yourself a bearer, take steps to protect those around you. Test and immunize your family if it is not already done. Use condoms until all partners are fully immunized, and join the Hepatitis Foundation annual testing program so that she can monitor your blood tests and detect any liver damage early on. You can not spread the virus by kissing, touching, sneezing, coughing, or sharing a bathroom, but you can infect others if they come in contact with your blood, for example, covering cuts or wounds. razors are simple steps you can take to ensure the safety of others.

While this may be difficult to understand, finding out that you are a carrier is definitely not the end of the world – it means regular blood tests and health checks to make sure the virus remains inactive, but for the vast majority of people, it will never be more impacting than that. For the unlucky ones who develop active hepatitis later, the sooner you know, the better the prognosis. There are drugs that reduce the level of virus in the blood and reduce the risk of liver damage.

For more information on hepatitis, visit the Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand on hepatitisfoundation.org.nz

* Dr. Cathy Stephenson is a general practitioner and mother of three children.

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