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Hepatitis B

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Prevention:

Screening of all donated blood has reduced the likelihood of contracting hepatitis B from a blood transfusion. As an initial screen, blood donors are now required to fill out a questionnaire about their sexual and drug use activities. The blood of those who are in high-risk groups is not used. Also, tests are used to screen collected blood for the hepatitis B virus.

Mandatory reporting of the disease allows state health care workers to track people who have been exposed and to immunize contacts that have not yet developed the disease. Formerly, hepatitis B vaccine was made from human blood products, so it was not received well by the public. Now hepatitis B vaccine is entirely artificial, with no human products, and therefore cannot transmit either hepatitis B or the AIDS virus. The new vaccine is both safe and effective. Those receiving the vaccine require three vaccinations administered within a six month period to achieve full immunity. Vaccination of babies has become routine in pediatric care in the US.

Sexual contact with a person who has acute or chronic hepatitis B should be avoided. Condoms, if used consistently and properly, may also reduce transmission through sexual contact. However, immunization provides the only definitive protection against the virus. Vaccination of those at high risk has been of only limited success. Therefore, the United States Public Health Service has recommended universal vaccination of all newborns and pre-pubertal teenagers.

Infants born of mothers who either currently have acute hepatitis B or who have had the infection receive a special immunization series to prevent viral transmission. This includes administering hepatitis B immune globulin and a hepatitis B immunization within 12 hours of birth.

References:

Lin KW. Hepatitis B. Am Fam Physician . 2004; 69(1): 75-82.

• Review Date: 1/23/2006
• Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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