![]() sharing or use of contaminated equipment during injecting drug use.HBV is transmitted through contact with infected blood or body fluids by the following routes: There is an increased risk of chronic infection where immunity is impaired.Ĭhronic infection leads to persistent infectivity, and in about 20% of adults can also lead to liver cirrhosis and malignant change in the liver. The likelihood that an HBV infection will become chronic depends upon the age at which a person becomes infected.Īround 90% of infants infected during the first year of life develop chronic infections, compared to 20% to 50% in children infected between 1 to 5 years of age, and up to 5% of adults. Most adults infected with HBV fully recover and develop life-long immunity. The average incubation period is around 12 weeks (range 40 to 160 days). signs of chronic liver disease (in advanced chronic hepatitis B).extrahepatic manifestations such as glomerulonephritis, vasculitis and polyarteritis.jaundice (with dark urine and/or pale stools if cholestasis).non-specific malaise, fatigue, fever, nausea, and poor appetite (may be mild, especially in chronic hepatitis B).a prodromal illness that includes fever, arthralgia, or a rash (that may appear about 2 weeks before the onset of jaundice, then resolves in acute hepatitis B).Many people have no symptoms during acute infection, while others can experience: In any given year, the majority (over 95%) of people with new chronic hepatitis B infections in the UK are migrants who acquired their infection in their country of birth during early childhood. In the UK, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is estimated to be 0.3%, or approximately 180,000 people. southern parts of central and eastern Europe.over 820,000 people die each year due to acute or chronic consequences, mostly from cirrhosis and liver cancerĪreas with high and intermediate prevalence rates (5%-10% of adult prevalence) of chronic hepatitis B include:.over 296 million people have chronic liver infections.The World Health Organization estimates that globally: Global prevalence of HBV infection is estimated to be 3.9%. Mortality is rare during the acute phase of infection (< 1%), but can occur. The hepatitis B virus ( HBV) causes hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), and can also cause long term liver damage. Immunise babies born to hepatitis B positive mothers and follow up appropriately. Refer to the Migrant Health Guide’s country-specific pages when considering whether to test an asymptomatic patient for chronic hepatitis B infection.Ĭonsider acute hepatitis B infection in patients who present with a compatible clinical picture and risk factors, and test appropriately.Īcute hepatitis B infection is a statutorily notifiable disease.Ĭontact your local health protection team (HPT) about appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis and immunisation for close contacts of cases of hepatitis B infection.Įnsure that those at risk of infection are immunised against hepatitis B. Some migrants to the UK are at higher risk of hepatitis B infection than the UK-born population. ![]()
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