Casual sex, shared toothbrush can give you hepatitis B

Symtoms of hepatitis B.
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Among infectious diseases globally, hepatitis B is reputed as the 10th leading cause of death. In Nigeria, experts say, nearly two-thirds of the population have contact with the virus, while about 20 per cent of the population is infected, with a good number unaware of it. Bad as it is, children are less likely to have symptoms than adults, even when infected.

Worse still, people with hepatitis B don’t feel the symptoms until a larger part of the liver has been damaged. In fact, gastroenterologists say by the time the symptoms of hepatitis B infection begin to manifest in an individual, it is almost always too late for doctors to help.

Physicians say there is no medication available to treat acute hepatitis B, though they may recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and regular intake of fluids, while some patients may need to be hospitalised.

And although not everyone infected with the hepatitis B virus will develop symptoms, persons infected may develop a sudden onset of fever, extreme tiredness, nausea, lack of appetite, abdominal pain (stomach pain), dark urine, clay-coloured bowel movements, joint pain and yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice).

According to consultant physician, Dr. Aderemi Oluyemi, a specialist in hepatology, gastroenterology and endoscopy, the hepatitis B virus is spread through infected bodily fluids.