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Hepatitis B is liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is one of the most common forms of viral hepatitis, which includes hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. But hepatitis has many other causes, including some medicines, fatty deposits in the liver, long-term alcohol use, and exposure to certain industrial chemicals.
Hepatitis B can damage liver cells and cause the liver to become swollen and tender (liver inflammation). Chronic infections can cause permanent liver damage.
HBV can cause an acute or chronic infection. In acute infections, hepatitis B usually goes away on its own, and medicines are not needed.
What is chronic hepatitis B infection?
You have chronic HBV infection when the virus continues to multiply in your body for longer than 6 months. Most people with chronic HBV infection have no symptoms. But they can pass HBV to other people, especially the people they live with or have sex with. People with chronic HBV infection are at increased risk of chronic hepatitis, which can lead to complications such as scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
If you need more information, see the topic Hepatitis B.
Your Information
You and your doctor will decide together whether antiviral therapy is right for you. The choices are:
* Antiviral medicines called interferons such as interferon alfa-2b and pegylated interferon alfa-2a. Interferons are given as shots.
* Antiviral medicines called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) such as adefovir, lamivudine, entecavir, and telbivudine. You take these medicines as pills.
* Regularly checking for liver damage by having blood tests and possibly a liver biopsy. If you do have liver damage, you may want to try antiviral medicines.
In general, treatment with interferons is shorter and results in fewer relapses compared to treatment with NRTIs.
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