What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B; It is a virus that settles in the liver. In other words, it is a microbe that does not have the ability to reproduce outside the body and settles inside the liver cells and reproduces by using the energy in the nucleus. During its proliferation in the liver cell, it damages these cells and causes the cells to break down, and then enters other cells and survives there. Dr. Meral Sözen, who serves her patients as a gastroenterology specialist in her office in Ankara, will explain what you wonder about the Hepatitis B virus in this article. Dr. Meral Sözen supports her patients with her knowledge on this subject and follows their treatment processes.

What Are the Symptoms of Hepatitis B?

During transmission of hepatitis B infections, flu-like syndromes such as fatigue and malaise can cause symptoms such as jaundice, or they can settle in the liver without any symptoms.

How is hepatitis B transmitted?

Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted through blood as well as sexual contact. It is an important route of transmission from mother to baby during birth. Shared use of personal equipment increases the risk of transmission.

Who Should Have the Hepatitis B Test?

The hepatitis B screening test can be done to anyone. However, it should definitely be done in case of pregnancy for individuals who will undergo surgery or interventional procedures. It is one of the first tests to be done in patients with liver enzyme elevations and the cause of which is investigated. In addition, people who are prone to infections, living in public areas, health personnel, people with hepatitis B detected in the people they live with should definitely be examined for hepatitis B.

What is Hepatitis B Carrier?

Hepatitis B is a carrier of hepatitis B in cases where the hepatitis B virus has been encountered in any way, but the hepatitis B virus does not cause a serious proliferation or liver damage. In this case, the disease can progress silently, sometimes it can exacerbate and turn into chronic hepatitis B, or the disease is completely controlled by stimulating the immune system. The condition of the patient should be controlled by controlling this situation with patient follow-up.

Do Hepatitis B Carriers Transmit Hepatitis B to Other People?

Hepatitis B virus continues to multiply in the liver cells of hepatitis B carriers. However, this is not as fast and at a high rate as in chronic hepatitis B patients. Hepatitis B carriers can also transmit this microbe to those around them during the rapid multiplication stages of hepatitis B carriers. When the infection occurs, acute hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis B may develop in the individual on the opposite side.

What is the Difference Between Hepatitis B Carrier and Chronic Hepatitis B?

Since the disease progression is very slow in hepatitis B carriers and the virus proliferation is slow, there is no significant difference in the disease progression between giving and not administering drug therapy, while virus proliferation and liver cell damage are faster in chronic hepatitis B. The incidence of cirrhosis and liver cancer was higher in this patient group if no treatment was given. However, patients who are carriers of hepatitis B should also be followed closely, and if it progresses to chronic hepatitis B, rapid initiation of treatment should not be neglected.

What is the Hepatitis B Vaccine?

The hepatitis B vaccine is a vaccine produced on the basis of stimulating the immune system against a protein produced by the hepatitis Virus. The production of these vaccines is produced in laboratory conditions similar to the protein structure of the virus. In other words, since there is no live virus vaccine, there is no risk of disease formation during vaccination. The hepatitis B vaccine is protective because it prevents hepatitis B contamination as soon as the virus enters the blood, that is, before it reaches the liver. The vaccine is administered in 3 doses with intermittent doses. Antibody level assessment after vaccination is not routinely performed.

Who Should Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine?

It is routinely administered to children from infancy, since it is a vaccine that is on the vaccination schedule of the Ministry of Health. Apart from this, hepatitis B vaccine is definitely applied to those who work in contact with blood, those who have another accompanying liver disease, and those who have hepatitis B disease in their living environment. However, since hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease, the vaccine should be offered to every individual to get rid of this virus completely.

Is Hepatitis B Vaccine Protective?

When hepatitis B vaccine is administered in 3 doses, immunity develops at a very high rate. This vaccine is usually life-long protective. However, if the antibody level is not within the protective limit, the vaccine can be repeated for those in the risk group for hepatitis.

What is Chronic Hepatitis B Disease?

Chronic hepatitis B disease is defined as the high level of antigen that indicates the disease is transmitted for more than 6 months, and the genetic material that shows the proliferation of hepatitis B, which we call DNA, is high in the blood. Liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Since the tests are fluctuating, being normal during the examinations does not exclude chronic hepatitis B disease.

Is Biopsy Required in Hepatitis B Patients?

Liver biopsy is important in making treatment decisions in hepatitis B patients. Liver biopsy, which is one of the important tests that can show the effect of the virus on the liver tissue, is performed before treatment in patients with high antigen elevation for more than 6 months and high DNA levels. Before the procedure is performed, the patient's assessment of bleeding is made. Before the liver biopsy of the patient, some blood tests can be applied to predict the progression of the disease.

Can Hepatitis B Patients Be Examined With Fibroscan?

Fibroscan examination is an important examination in terms of giving detailed information about the state of the liver by using special ultrasonographic waves. Considering the technological developments, it is a method that can provide information about the liver status of the patients at each control and does not cause undesirable situations during the application. It is among the promising methods as it can be applied easily in overweight individuals as well as in thin individuals.

Is There a Treatment for Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B treatment has diversified over the years with advances in the pharmaceutical industry. In acute hepatitis B infection, only the complaints are controlled, while in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, treatment is preferred according to the factors such as disease genotype, age, etc. Among these treatments, interferon therapy, nucleoside and nucleotide analogues are used.

How Long Does Hepatitis B Treatment Take?

Although interferon treatments are less preferred, the duration of drug use in these treatments is limited. In nucleoside and nucleotide analogues, the treatment period is open. Sometimes our patients may have to use drugs for a lifetime.

What Will Happen If Hepatitis B Is Untreated?

If hepatitis B patients do not receive treatment despite the need for treatment, liver function deterioration, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer may develop in these patients. In addition, this virus, which settles and multiplies in the liver, causes kidney damage by simultaneously damaging kidney cells in some patient groups.

Does Hepatitis B Cause Cirrhosis?

In untreated chronic hepatitis B patients and hepatitis B carriers who do not continue their follow-up, the disease progresses to cause cell destruction and cirrhosis may develop in the liver with impaired cell structure.

Does Hepatitis B Cause Cancer?

In hepatitis B patients, the virus also inserts its own genes into the nucleus of the cell to create its own proteins. This virus causes cells to multiply uncontrollably in order to reproduce itself. These uncontrolled proliferating cells play an active role in the formation of liver cancer.

Are There Any Centers Treating Hepatitis B in Ankara?

In Ankara, gastroenterology and infectious diseases departments in state hospitals, university hospitals, private hospitals and clinics provide hepatitis B treatment. Infectious diseases follow the patients in early treatment, and when liver damage develops, it is ahead in the control of complications. Because hepatitis B patients require special attention and follow-up, many patients prefer clinics for hepatitis B treatment. The fact that follow-ups are carried out by a single person is a more effective method for disease control, which encourages people to follow this path.

Where Do Patients with Hepatitis B Apply Most in Ankara?

Hepatitis B patients who do not know their disease are mostly detected in pre-operative evaluations, check-up centers and internal diseases department examinations. Patients with initial examinations are referred to the gastroenterology and infectious diseases unit. After detailed examinations, patients are evaluated in terms of treatment preference.

What is the situation in Ankara in terms of hepatitis B treatment?

Hepatitis B patients are easily detected and treated in big cities such as Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya due to the high number of health institutions. However, they prefer private centers because of the more intensive patient care and the shorter time allocated in public hospitals.

Can Hepatitis B Patients Have Liver Transplantation?

If hepatitis B disease is not detected and treated on time, unfortunately, liver damage progresses and the liver cannot perform its duties. This condition, along with the progression of the disease, causes malfunctions in other organs such as the brain and kidneys. Patients who have reached this limit are candidates for liver transplantation.

Is Ankara a High-Risk Region for Hepatitis B Disease?

When we look at the risk map of Turkey in terms of hepatitis B, the incidence of the disease is mostly seen in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions. However, when we consider the population density and the fact that the health centers are mostly in big cities, quite a lot of patients apply to us in terms of hepatitis B.

r for hepatitis B If you are in the isc group, if you are a hepatitis B patient or carrier, make sure to have your follow-ups and ask your doctor for information on this issue. At Dr Meral Sözen's practice, we aim to follow our patients in detail and lead a healthy life.