About hepatitis B

Hepatitis B, or acute hepatitis B, is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. Though hepatitis B is considered primarily a sexually transmitted disease, it is easily transmitted by blood. In fact, even one virus can cause the disease. Hence intravenous drug users who share needles and syringes are at extremely high risk. The transmission from hepatitis B-infected mothers to the foetus prior to birth is also common, especially in South East Asia.

The long-term consequence of hepatitis B can be fatal. Approximately 10 per cent of the population infected with the virus develop a chronic, permanent infection. Among them, a small proportion of people will develop slow but progressive liver damage leading to cirrhosis (hepatocellular cancer).

The overall incidence of reported hepatitis B is two per 10,000 individuals. But true incidence may be higher because many cases do not cause symptoms and go undiagnosed and unreported.

One in 1,000 pregnant women is a chronic carrier of hepatitis B. The mortality rate during the acute stage is approximately one per cent.

The early symptoms of hepatitis B, which has an incubation period of up to six months, may be a variety of skin rashes, joint pain, fever, malaise, abdominal pain and discomfort. This is followed by the appearance of the yellow colour of jaundice, first in the whites of the eye and then the skin.

The risk in healthcare workers, haemodialysis patients, individuals requiring multiple blood transfusions and new-born infants have been reduced after the advent of hepatitis B vaccine.