Treatment and Prevention of Hepatitis B virus

Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus

The infection has been preventable by vaccination since 1982. Vaccination is recommended by the World Health Organization in the first day of life if possible. Two or three more doses are required at a later time for full effect. This vaccine works about 95% of the time. About 180 countries gave the vaccine as part of national programs as of 2006. It is also recommended that all blood be tested for hepatitis B before transfusion and condoms be used to prevent infection.
Vaccines for the prevention of hepatitis B have been routinely recommended for infants since 1991 in the United States. Most vaccines are given in three doses over a course of months.
All those with a risk of exposure to body fluids such as blood should be vaccinated, if not already. Testing to verify effective immunization is recommended and further doses of vaccine are given to those who are not sufficiently immunized.


Treatment of Hepatitis B virus 

Acute hepatitis B infection does not usually require treatment and most adults clear the infection spontaneously. Early antiviral treatment may be required in fewer than 1% of people, whose infection takes a very aggressive course (fulminant hepatitis) or who are immunocompromised. On the other hand, treatment of chronic infection may be necessary to reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Do not hesitate to seek the attention of your health care provider ones the signs and symptoms mentioned earlier occur.
Treatment lasts from six months to a year, depending on medication and genotype.