Health Corner

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a type of viral hepatitis that can cause acute hepatitis and may lead to chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis and liver cancer. The incubation period ranges from six weeks to six months.

Approximately 5–10% of adults and 70–90% of infants infected with Hepatitis B fail to clear the virus completely and become chronic carriers, serving as sources of transmission.

Is Hepatitis B prevalent?
Hepatitis B infection occurs worldwide, with over two billion people having been infected; about 350 million are chronic carriers. It is endemic in Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong has a moderate infection rate.

How is Hepatitis B transmitted?
The virus is present in high amounts in the body fluids of infected persons, mainly blood, amniotic fluid, semen, and vaginal secretions.

Transmission routes include:

• Mother-to-child contact: Around childbirth or infancy, infected mothers can transmit the virus to their babies, with a transmission rate as high as 90%. This is the primary route in highly endemic areas like Hong Kong and China.

• Blood contact: Through cuts, abrasions, mucous membranes contacting infected blood or secretions, sharing needles for drug use, improper sterilization of tattoo, piercing, or acupuncture instruments, and sharing personal items like razors or nail clippers that may cause skin damage.

• Sexual contact: Unprotected sexual activity with infected persons.

How to prevent Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a bloodborne disease; preventive measures align with other blood transmissible diseases:

• Careful wound cleaning and dressing.

• Wearing gloves and disinfecting contaminated objects with household bleach when handling blood or bodily fluids.

  • For blood-contaminated surfaces or objects: Clean with absorbent disposable material, then disinfect with a 1:4 bleach-to-water solution for 10 minutes before rinsing.

  • For blood-stained clothing: Soak in a 1:49 bleach-to-water solution for 30 minutes before washing.

  • For bodily fluid contamination: Clean with absorbent material then disinfect with 1:49 bleach solution for 30 minutes before rinsing.

• Avoid sharing razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, syringes, or needles.

• Avoid tattoos, acupuncture, eyebrow embroidery, mole removal unless disposable or properly sterilized equipment is used.

• Reduce the number of sexual partners, practice safe sex with condoms, and if a partner is infected, get vaccinated promptly.

Vaccination:
The most effective prevention is the Hepatitis B vaccine, requiring three doses (first and second doses one month apart, second and third doses five months apart). After full vaccination, 90–95% develop lifelong protective immunity. Blood tests before vaccination determine eligibility—only those never infected receive the vaccine.

Who should get vaccinated?

• Newborns

• Family members and sexual partners of infected individuals

• Injection drug users

• Frequent recipients of blood or blood products

• Patients on dialysis

• Healthcare workers exposed to blood or body fluids

Can chronic Hepatitis B be cured ? 
Chronic carriers should have regular medical checkups, including liver function and related tests, and periodic liver ultrasounds. Antiviral medications like entecavir and tenofovir suppress viral replication to reduce liver damage. Immunosuppressive treatments are carefully managed by doctors.

Source: https://www.info.gov.hk/hepatitis/english/hep_b_set.htm