Chapter 2: Data Sheet
Symptoms:
HBV is a noncytopathic virus. This means that the virus itself does not cause direct damage to liver cells. Instead, it is the immune system's aggressive response to the virus that usually leads to inflammation and damage to the liver (hepatitis). However, it can cause damage to liver cell’s genetic material.
HBV leads to a wide spectrum of liver disease ranging from acute hepatitis (including fulminant hepatic failure) to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Symptoms can take two to six months to appear and only about 50 percent of people develop symptoms (even though damage can already be done to your liver).
There are usually two types of infection:
1. Acute - lasts less than six months
Most people do not have any symptoms during this phase (asymptomatic acute hepatitis - like our poor virus friend), however some may have an acute illness that lasts many weeks (symptomatic acute hepatitis) with symptoms of:
Abdominal pain
Dark urine
Fever
Joint pain
Loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Weakness and fatigue
Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
Rare - acute liver failure
About 95 percent of adults will recover within 6 months of becoming infected with acute hepatitis B and as a result will develop lifelong protection against it (due to antibodies). The remaining 5 percent are unable to clear the virus and will become chronically infected.
2. Chronic - lasts six months or longer (or for a lifetime)
The risk for chronic hepatitis b is depends on age. The younger the age, the more likely that the infection will become chronic (<6 years old is at greatest risk).
Mild liver disease - no long term morbidity or mortality.
Active disease - can progress into cirrhosis (scarring of liver) and liver cancer. There is also possibility of kidney disease, inflammation of blood vessels and anemia.
Around 1/3 of the people with chronic HBV infection will ultimately develop a long-term consequence of the disease, such as cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, or HCC.
For people with severe chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, the 5-year survival rate is about 50%.
