Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B

  • Age:
    • Vaccination of newborns in the first 12 hours of life, children of 2 and 6 months

Description of the disease

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which contributes to liver dysfunction and inflammation in acute or chronic form. In severe cases, liver cirrhosis or oncology may develop.

The virus is transmitted through the blood, and is also (in some cases) detected in body fluids, such as:

  • saliva,
  • urine,
  • sperm,
  • tear,
  • vaginal secretion

Possible ways of infection of younger children:

  • from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth,
  • contact with an infected child in a children's group, on the playground in case of bites, fights, cuts,
  • through personal hygiene items of the infected (scissors, toothbrush, etc.),
  • during the performance of invasive medical manipulations (most often dental), in cosmetology salons with poor-quality processing of tools.

  • Treatment

    Treatment of the acute form takes place in a hospital. The chronic form of hepatitis B is controlled by an infectious disease doctor.

  • Prevention

    Prevention of hepatitis B is vaccination , which should be carried out immediately after birth.

  • Symptoms

    It is necessary to pay attention to the following symptoms:

    • Severe fatigue
    • Sleep disturbance
    • Yellowing of the skin and eyes (sclera)
    • Black urine
    • Constipation
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Decreased appetite
    • Pain in the joints
    • Dull abdominal pains in the liver

  • Diagnostics

    Diagnosis is possible only with the help of laboratory blood tests, which can distinguish between acute and chronic forms of the disease by detecting the surface antigen of hepatitis B - HbsAg.