Thread by @FirstDoctor

6 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEPATITIS B

1. Affects your liver
2. Extremely infectious
3. Many show no symptoms
4. Vaccine protects you
5. Can be treated
6. You can live a long, productive life with #HepatitisB infection if you treated.

A thread 🧵

{RT for awareness!}

First, #HepatitisB, like other viral hepatitis, loves the #liver.

Once infected, the virus goes straight to your liver, multiplies alarmingly, & tries to evade immune attacks.
In some, immune system clears the virus so they recover. In others, no, so they remain infected.

People who remain infected with #hepatitisB over a long period of time may develop liver issues.
Such liver problems may include #fibrosis, #cirrhosis, #livercancer, & #liverfailure.
If not detected & treated on time, the person may die of these complications.

Second, #HepatitisB is highly infectious. It's 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV.

In fact, unlike HIV, it's usually difficult to tell exactly when & where you got infected with #HepatitisB...

E.g. for HIV one could easily recall an unprotected sex they had or the likes.
But for #HepatitisB, a little blood spill from an infected friend on a tiny wound in your leg which went unnoticed while you both were playing in the neighborhood as a kid could have been the contact!

#HepatitisB can spread through;

- Exposure to the blood of infected people
- Mother to child during childbirth
- Unprotected sex
- Unsafe body piercings
- Sharing sharp objects such as needles (like intravenous drug addicts), razors, even toothbrushes!

In addition, although some folks with #HepatitisB may have

fever
fatigue
nausea
vomiting
dark urine
abdominal pain &
jaundice (yellowness of the eyes),

many infected people don't show any of these symptoms. They look well & walk around normally, thinking they're fine.

In fact, let me burst your bubble. Studies have shown that only 1 in 10 people with Hepatitis B are aware they have the disease.

The remaining 9 in 10 are wondering about out there possibly spreading the virus to others without knowing.

So, #HepatitisB may not show on the face!

OK relax!
If you're not yet infected or have been confirmed by tests to have fully recovered from #HepatitisB, you can prevent the disease by taking the #vaccine.

The cost of this vaccine in Nigeria is variable. During service, I saw some NGO's even vaccinate people for free.

So, now hurry up & go check your #HepatitisB status first. The screening test (#HBsAg) is around N500 in many parts of Nigeria.

If you're HBsAg +ve, it means you're infected & should go see your doctor.

If you're HBsAg -ve, it means you're not infected & can get the vaccine.

#HepatitisB vaccine gives 80-100% protections, but is ONLY for;

- those who have not been infected, &
- those confirmed by tests to have fully recovered from Hepatitis B.

To be fully immunized, you need 3 shots of this vaccine 4 wks apart! So you complete it in 3 months.

Next, #HepatitisB can be treated!

Although no cure yet, potent antivirals like #entecavir & #tenofovir are highly active against this bug, can slow disease progression & even lead to full clearance of the virus in some people.

Interestingly, there's hope for a cure soon!

Not everyone who tests +ve for #hepatitisB will require medication. Your doctor might decide to wait & monitor your condition depending on your test results.

But whether you start treatment or not, see your doctor every 6 months, or at least once every year.

Finally, #HepatitisB is not a death sentence!

People live with this disease even beyond 75. So if you're infected, don't panic! Don't fret!

If you're on drugs, take them religiously & care for your liver; you can expect to live a normal, long & productive life like others.

Often, #HepatitisB is a chronic medical condition just like diabetes & high blood pressure. It can be successfully managed if you take good care of your health & liver.

You should expect to live to see your grand- & great grand children & even become president of your company!

Here are some things you should do to care for your liver if you have #HepatitisB;

-0 alcohol
-0 unsafe sex
-0 drug abuse
-0 sharing sharps/brushes
-0 eating stale ground nuts/bread
-Lose weight if you're fat
-Take Hepatitis C&A vaccines
-Take your Hepatitis B drugs religiously

A lot of people die of #HepatitisB complications because of NEGLECT, not because they needed to die. Last month, I lost my Secondary School colleague to this disease. But it was because we discovered it too late.
This shouldn't happen to anyone else.. Kindly RT