Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is contracted through direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids of an infected person. The routes of transmission are quite similar to those of Hepatitis C, EXCEPT for the fact that one can also contract Hepatitis B through sexual intercourse as well as by sharing needles, razors, and toothbrushes. Sadly, an infant can also contract the virus during childbirth from an infected mother. Hepatitis B is not spread through food, water, or casual contact. The symptoms of Hepatitis B Virus include:

· Loss of Appetite
· Jaundice or Yellowing of Eyes or Skin
· Nausea, Vomiting, Fever, Stomach and/or Joint Pain
· Extreme Fatigue

There are people with Hepatitis B who experience no symptoms at all. A blood test is the only concrete evidence of infection.

Once infected with Hepatitis B, there is no immediate cure. Treatment for Hepatitis B is used for chronic infection, and usually involves interferon injections combined with oral anti-viral medication; Lamivudine, Dipivoxil, and Adefovir are the names of some of the medications used. Treatment usually lasts anywhere from 16 to 48 weeks. Unfortunately, those with Hepatitis B virus will always be carriers of the virus.