How much do you know about the dreaded hepatitis B?

If you are a carrier of the hepatitis B virus and have recently been feeling weak, easily fatigued, lack of appetite and aversion to greasy food, dull pain in the right upper abdomen, yellow skin and eyeballs, or even abdominal edema, you must pay attention to it, as the hepatitis B virus may be "crazily" replicating in your body and leading to the onset of chronic hepatitis.

When facing the hepatitis B virus, please do not be afraid or panic. There are many drugs that can control and delay the progression of the disease. If treated in time, hepatitis B virus carriers may not develop the disease for life and be no different from normal people. Let's learn about hepatitis B together through the following article!

1. What harm does hepatitis B virus do to the human body?

Hepatitis B (HBV) is caused by infection with the HBV and is a major infectious disease that can be life-threatening. Chronic infection with the HBV can cause liver damage and subsequently develop into cirrhosis and liver cancer. With the development of technology, HBV is now a preventable and curable infectious disease.

2. How does hepatitis B virus (HBV) infect humans?

(1) Transmission through blood (such as unsafe injections, etc.)

(2) Mother-to-child transmission mainly occurs during the perinatal period, mostly through contact with the blood and body fluids of HBV-positive mothers during delivery.

(3) Transmission through sexual contact: unprotected sexual contact with a HBV-positive person, especially one with multiple sexual partners.

(4) Transmission through broken skin or mucous membranes, mainly due to the use of medical equipment that has not been strictly sterilized, invasive diagnostic and treatment operations, such as pedicure, tattooing, ear piercing, accidental exposure during work by medical personnel, and sharing razors and toothbrushes. Special attention: Hepatitis B is not transmitted through the respiratory tract and digestive tract, so daily contact in study, work or life, such as sharing office supplies, shaking hands, hugging, living in the same dormitory, eating in the same restaurant, sharing toilets, etc., without blood exposure, will not be transmitted.

3. What are the preventive measures for hepatitis B?

(1) Vaccination against hepatitis B is the most economical and effective measure to prevent hepatitis B: Hepatitis B vaccine is the "first shot at birth" and should be administered within 24 hours of birth. my country has included hepatitis B vaccine in the national child immunization program and administers it according to the "0, 1, 6" immunization schedule, where "0" represents the time of vaccination, "1" represents the second vaccination one month later, and "6" represents the third vaccination six months later.

(2) Develop good personal hygiene habits: Do not share personal items such as razors and toothbrushes with others in daily life. When undergoing traumatic procedures such as tattooing, pedicure, and ear piercing, be sure to go to professional stores with good hygiene standards. Stay away from drugs, keep yourself clean, and go to regular medical institutions for treatment.

(3) Early diagnosis, early treatment, and early prevention: It is recommended that people with suspected hepatitis symptoms, people at high risk of hepatitis B, and people with high-risk behaviors go to the hospital for a "two-to-one-half" test to facilitate early detection, early diagnosis, standardized treatment, and improved prognosis.

4. Will all infections with hepatitis B virus develop into chronic hepatitis B?

Less than 5% of cases of hepatitis B infection in adulthood result in chronic hepatitis, while cases of infection during the perinatal period and infancy result in chronic hepatitis as high as 90% and 25%-30%, respectively.

5. Can hepatitis B be cured?

At the current medical level, there is no antiviral drug that can enter the cell nucleus, so there is no way to cure it. However, through active and effective treatment, clinical cure can be achieved. In layman's terms, there is no difference between life and normal life, and the quality of life and life cycle are the same as those of healthy people. However, you must follow the doctor's advice and receive timely treatment after reaching the antiviral standard to control it as soon as possible.

6. What are the current treatments for chronic hepatitis B? What are their effects?

Currently, there are two types of drugs, oral antiviral drugs and interferon, that can be used to treat chronic hepatitis B. According to the latest domestic and international hepatitis B prevention and treatment guidelines, the first-line antiviral drugs are mainly entecavir or tenofovir alafenamide. Antiviral treatment can effectively inhibit the replication of hepatitis B virus, delay the occurrence of liver cirrhosis, reduce the incidence of liver cancer, and prolong survival time. For most people, long-term medication is required, and regular follow-up visits and visits with specialists are required.