Hepatitis B is a liver
infection caused by the
hepatitis B
virus (HBV). HBV is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with
virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or from mother to baby at birth. For some people,
hepatitis B is a short-term illness, but for others, it can become a long-term, chronic infection. Risk for chronic
infection is related to age at infection: approximately 90% of infected infants become chronically infected, compared with 2%–6% of adults. Chronic
hepatitis B can lead to serious
health issues, like cirrhosis or liver cancer. The best way to prevent
hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated.
Hepatitis B is a liver
infection caused by the
hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis B can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. Acute
hepatitis B is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the
hepatitis B virus. An acute
infection can range in severity from a mild illness with few or no symptoms to a serious condition requiring hospitalization. Some people, especially adults, are able to clear the
virus without treatment. People who clear the
virus become immune and cannot get infected with the
hepatitis B
virus again. Acute
infection can but does not always lead to chronic infection. Chronic
hepatitis B is a lifelong
infection with the
hepatitis B virus. Over time, chronic
hepatitis B can cause serious
health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death.
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