What is the most common presentation of congenital hepatitis B?
The clinical features vary. The common symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, and occasional bouts of mild jaundice. Fulminant hepatitis occurs in 1-2% of persons with acute disease and has a case-fatality ratio of 63-93%. It may present as jaundice, encephalopathy, and fetor hepaticus.
How can you tell the difference between acute and chronic hepatitis B?
Acute vs. chronic hepatitis B
- Acute hepatitis B infection lasts less than six months. Your immune system likely can clear acute hepatitis B from your body, and you should recover completely within a few months.
- Chronic hepatitis B infection lasts six months or longer.
Is HBsAg positive in chronic hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg): A protein on the surface of hepatitis B virus; it can be detected in high levels in serum during acute or chronic hepatitis B virus infection. The presence of HBsAg indicates that the person is infectious.
What are the stages of hepatitis B?
The natural history of chronic hepatitis B infection can be divided into 4 phases: immune‐tolerant phase, immune‐active phase, immune‐control phase, and immune clearance.
What is chronic hepatitis?
Chronic hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that lasts at least 6 months. Common causes include hepatitis B and C viruses and certain drugs. Most people have no symptoms, but some have vague symptoms, such as a general feeling of illness, poor appetite, and fatigue.
Can chronic hepatitis B be cured?
Currently there is no complete cure for chronic hepatitis B. However, several effective treatment options can reduce the risk of liver damage and slow down or stop the virus from spreading.
Can chronic hepatitis B positive become negative?
It can happen, especially in older adults after a long period of “inactive” hepatitis B infection. About 1 to 3 percent of people with chronic hepatitis B lose HBsAg each year, and about half of all people with chronic infections who live up to age 75 will lose HBsAg, depending on the amount of HBV DNA in their blood.
Can HBsAg positive become negative?
As many as 20 to 30% of these acute exacerbations may be caused by superinfection with HDV, HCV, or hepatitis A virus and can be associated with an increased risk of fulminant hepatic failure [44]. Some carriers eventually become HBsAg negative and develop anti-HBs.
What is the first stage of hepatitis B?
The first phase of disease, during the first 6 months after a person becomes infected, is called acute hepatitis B infection. During this phase, many people show no symptoms at all. Among those who do have symptoms, the illness is usually mild and most people don’t recognize that they have liver disease.
