Hepatitis B

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B, sometimes called hep B or HBV, is a virus carried in the blood and body fluids which infects and can damage the liver and is the most widespread form of hepatitis worldwide. It is common in South-East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle and Far East, Southern Europe and Africa. In the UK, approximately one in 350 people are thought to be chronically infected with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B can cause an acute or a chronic illness. An acute illness is a sudden illness that lasts for a short period (less than six months). A chronic illness is one that lasts more than six months, possibly for the rest of your life. Sometimes symptoms may come and go.

Acute Hepatitis B

It can take a while to recover from acute hepatitis B and, even though most people will feel better within a few weeks, they may still experience tiredness and lack of energy for many months. Other people may recover and ‘clear’ (rid) the virus from their body without ever knowing they have been infected.

 

Chronic hepatitis B

Up to one in ten people (between 5 and 10%) with acute hepatitis B may go on to have chronic hepatitis B if infected as an adult. Up to 95% of children infected will remain infected. Many people are infected in childhood and are often not aware that they have hepatitis B. They may only find out when they develop future complications caused by the virus. The earlier you are infected in life, the higher your chance of developing a chronic illness.

If tests show that levels of the virus in your blood are high and affecting your liver, then it is likely that you have an active infection. Over time, the virus can damage the liver and this can cause scarring of the liver (fibrosis) and then a hardening of the liver (cirrhosis).  Some people with advanced cirrhosis will develop liver failure, liver cancer or will need a liver transplant.