Why do homeless people have a high risk of hepatitis C than hepatitis B and others?
549363
Hepatitis C is transmitted by blood to blood contact only.  This means that blood infected with hepatitis C must come into direct contact with the bloodstream of another person.  Even the smallest amounts of blood can transmit hepatitis C.\n\nTransmission can occur through:\n\nsharing and equipment used to inject drugs  \nunsterile tattooing, body piercing and skin penetration procedures \nhousehold practices (such as sharing razor blades and toothbrushes) \noccupational procedures (eg, needlestick and sharps injuries) \ncertain sexual activities \nmother to baby.\nSharing injecting drug equipment\n\nSharing injecting equipment is the most common way of becoming infected with hepatitis C in Australia.  Syringes, hands, needles, tourniquets, swabs, water, filters or spoons can transmit hepatitis C and other viruses.\n\nIt is possible for a person with hepatitis C to be reinfected with a different strain (genotype) of hepatitis C.\n\nTattoos, body piercing and skin penetration\n\nHepatitis C can be transmitted through unsterile tattooing and body piercing equipment, including tattooing inks.\n\nHousehold transmission\n\nWherever blood to blood contact happens, transmission of hepatitis C can occur.  Sharing razor blades, toothbrushes and personal hygiene items can potentially transmit hepatitis C.\n\nHepatitis C is not transmitted by touching, kissing, hugging or closeness.  Hepatitis C is not present in saliva so cups, plates, utensils and other household items can be considered safe.  However, washing and general cleaning of these household items can protect from many other illnesses and should remain a part of every household's common hygene practice.\n\nA recent study initiated by the Institute of Sciences and Oxford University has shown that one in four homeless people in Oxford are infected with Hepatitis C, posing a major public health concern. \n\nThe study, carried out by Luke Sheriff and Dr Richad Mayon-White, has shown that inadequate diets, poor hygiene and high levels of intravenous drug use have lead to the high numbers of homeless people that tested positive for the virus when screened. \n\nOxford is now the second most highly affected area in Britain; unsurprising, given that it is also the city with the highest recorded number of rough sleepers outside of the capital. \n\nThere are currently between 2,500 and 3,000 people in Oxford classified 'homeless' by Emmaus, a charity operating in the city. Whilst not all of these people may actually live on the streets, the often cramped and squalid conditions in which many 'squatters' find themselves create a ready environment in which the virus can spread. \n\nOf the 98 individuals of the Oxford homeless community who were interviewed and tested for HCV, the results gave an estimated HCV prevalence of 26.5 percent.\n\n\n\nThey are also more prone to HIV, and this is because they are unable to receive adequate medical care, and are more likely to be drug users, and have poor diets, all things that put them at risk or might possibly expose them to the diseases.
425769
Hepatitis C is transmitted by blood.  Let's be honest, if you saw a toilet with blood all over it - would you sit down?  Probably not!  You would also need a cut or sore on your butt for the virus to get in.\n\nSame story goes for eating utensils - you wouldn't put a fork with blood on it in your mouth, right?\n\nDon't worry - Hep C is transmitted from sharing needles and other types of blood to blood exposure.
323120
The best way to see how infected you are is have a liver biopsy, there are specialists that deal with hep c. You control it or it can end up controlling you (your health)\n\nMAKE SURE YOU GET hep A & B shots and boosters because you sure wouldn't want one of those along with C\n\nAlcohol is the worst thing if you have C  :example for each beer you have it is like have 6 of them to your liver
1012121
How is hepatitis C virus spread and how can transmission be prevented?\n\nHepatitis C is spread (transmitted) most efficiently through the blood. Therefore, hepatitis C virus is transmitted by infected blood or blood products, transplantation of infected solid organs (e.g., liver, kidney, heart), and the sharing of contaminated needles among intravenous drug users. In retrospect, hepatitis C virus was the most common cause of hepatitis that resulted from blood transfusions in the 1980's. At that time, hepatitis C virus had not yet been identified and post-transfusion cases of hepatitis were called non-A non-B hepatitis.\n\nIn the early 1980's, the risk of contracting hepatitis C virus from a blood transfusion was as high as 15%. In the mid 1980's, when the practice of using commercial (paid) donors was stopped and blood was screened for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the risk of post-transfusion hepatitis fell to about 5%. This risk was then cut in half when blood was screened with the substitute (surrogate) markers, elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT, the liver enzyme), and hepatitis B core antibodies. Finally, the isolation of the hepatitis C virus and the development of a screening test for hepatitis C virus dramatically lowered the risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus infection through blood transfusions.\n\nAll blood donors are currently screened with the following panel; hepatitis C antibodies, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core antibodies, elevated alanine aminotransferase, HIV antibodies, and syphilis. As a result, the risk of contracting hepatitis C virus from a single unit of blood is less than 1:100,000. This risk will be even lower one day when tests that measure minute quantities of hepatitis C viral nucleic acids are universally adopted for blood screening.\n\nToday, hepatitis C virus is most commonly transmitted by intravenous drug abuse, which accounts for about 60% of new cases. Moreover, 50 to 60% of new intravenous drug users are infected within the first 6 months of use, and nearly 90% are infected by one year. Other types of illegal drug usage, such as snorting cocaine, have also been associated with an increased risk of acquiring an hepatitis C virus infection.\n\nHepatitis C virus can be sexually transmitted, but not very efficiently. Hepatitis C virus has been isolated in the semen, vaginal fluid, and saliva. Nevertheless, the risk of transmission of hepatitis C virus from an infected individual to a non-infected spouse or partner without the use of condoms over a lifetime is only about 1 to 4%. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has not recommended using a barrier technique (for example, condoms) for hepatitis C virus infected individuals in a long-term monogamous relationship. On the other hand, individuals with multiple sexual partners should definitely use condoms. Furthermore, the practice of safe sex is key in preventing the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis B.\n\nFood, water, breast-feeding, sneezing, coughing, hugging, casual contact, or sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses have not been shown to spread hepatitis C. What's more, hepatitis C is not transmissible by kissing, unless an open wound is involved. However, to further recognize that hepatitis C is transmitted through blood, the sharing of razors and toothbrushes should be avoided.\n\nInterestingly, the CDC has not found a definite association between tattoos and the transmission of hepatitis C virus. It is critical, nevertheless, that appropriate precautions be taken in applying tattoos, including the artist wearing gloves and using disposable equipment. In contrast to hepatitis B, the transmission of hepatitis C from the mother to the newborn around the time of delivery is unusual.\n\nHepatitis C virus infection can also be acquired through occupational exposures. Thus, health care workers in contact with contaminated bloods, flu
467445
I don't think so. You aren't allowed to have any type of permanent blood-borne disease, so I would think that hepatitis C would DQ someone. You don't want medics afraid to do thier work on the battlefield because of fear of HIV/hepC ect, and likewise you don't want to worry about that medic having those diseases either.
1059968
Hepatitis A \n\nHow you get it: Eating food or drinking water contaminated with feces, or the bowel movement (BM), from a person infected with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It can also be caused by anal-oral contact. Some examples include: \nEating food contaminated by a person with hepatitis A who prepares food. It can happen if the person did not wash his hands after using the bathroom and then touched the food. \nFrom infected household members or sexual partners \nDiaper changing tables, if not cleaned properly \nEating raw selfish that came from sewage-contaminated water \nWhat it does to your body: While it can cause swelling of the liver, it doesn't normally cause permanent liver damage. \nTreatment: It usually gets better on its own. Almost everyone who gets hepatitis A gets better. \nPrevention: \nGet the hepatitis A vaccine. The vaccine is given in two doses, 6 to 18 months apart. The vaccine is recommended for the following groups: \nTravelers to areas with high rates of hepatitis A \nMen who have sex with men \nInjecting and non-injecting drug users \nPersons with clotting factor disorders, like hemophilia \nPeople with chronic liver disease \nChildren who live in areas that had historically high rates of hepatitis A from 1987-1997 \nGet an immune globulin (IG) shot for short-term protection. If you’re traveling to a place where hepatitis A is common and leaving in less than 4 weeks, an IG shot can temporarily keep you from getting the virus. An IG shot can also be given within 2 weeks after exposure to hepatitis A. \nBe careful about drinking the tap water when traveling internationally. \nWash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet, changing a diaper, and before preparing and eating food. \nPeople who get hepatitis A once will not get it again. \nHepatitis B\n\nHow you get it: Contact with a person infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This can occur through having sex with an infected person, from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth, or through sharing needles with an infected person. \nWhat it does to your body: The liver swells, and liver damage can occur. Most people will get rid of the virus after a few months. Some people are not able to get rid of the virus, which makes the infection chronic, or life-long. This may lead to a scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis, liver failure, and can also lead to liver cancer. \nTreatment: Acute hepatitis B usually gets better on its own. Most people develop immunity to the virus and after recovery, can’t give it to others. Someone with chronic (long-term) hepatitis B still carries the virus and can pass it to others. Chronic hepatitis B can be treated with the drugs interferon, lamivudine, or adefovir. These drugs do not work for everyone. \nPrevention: \nGet the hepatitis B vaccine. The vaccine is usually given through 3 injections over 6 months. The vaccine is recommended for the following groups: \nAll girls and boys from 0 to 18 years old \nA person whose sex partner has chronic hepatitis B \nMen who have sex with men \nSomeone who has been recently diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease \nPeople with multiple sex partners \nSomeone who shoots drugs \nSomeone who lives with a person with chronic hepatitis B \nPeople whose jobs expose them to human blood \nIf you are having sex, but not with one steady partner, use latex condoms correctly and every time you have sex. Using condoms may lower your risk of getting hepatitis B. \nDon't share anything that could have an infected person's blood on it, like toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers, or washcloths. \nConsider the risks if you are thinking about getting a tattoo or body piercing. You might get infected if the tools have someone else's blood on them or if the artist or piercer does not follow good health practices. \nIf you are a health care or public safety worker, get vaccinated against hepatitis B, and always follow routine barrier precautions and safel
1093683
It is extremely unlikely but hepatitis B is found in blood, saliva, and other bodily fluids of a person infected with it. It is usually transmitted to another person if blood or fluid enters anothers body through a cut or broken skin. (also sexual intercourse and including injection)\n\nIF the other baby has got Hepatitis B then you may want to get your baby tested just in case; speak to a doctor if you are worried.
598415
Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, usually due to acute viral infection. It occurs in several forms. Lifelong immunity to the causative virus usually follows an attack, but since several distinct viruses cause the disease—at least five are now known—immunity to one type does not confer immunity to the others.\n\nPreviously known as infectious hepatitis, hepatitis A is caused mainly by poor sanitation and lack of hygiene. It is transmitted by food or water contaminated by excreta; by other objects taken into the mouth; from person to person, including by sexual contact; or by injection with improperly sterilized hypodermic needles or needles shared by intravenous (IV) drug users. Outbreaks often occur in army or refugee camps and in institutions where small children are crowded together. Shellfish and uncooked food carry risk of infection. This form of the disease has become more common as a result of increased travel to countries where hepatitis A is common and where clean water and proper sewage disposal are not available. Hepatitis A is usually less severe than hepatitis B and patients generally recover within weeks, whereas hepatitis B can last for months.\n\nHEPATITIS B \n\nPreviously called serum hepatitis, hepatitis B can be transmitted by intimate sexual contact, as well as from a mother to a foetus or newborn baby. Hepatitis B is also transmitted by injections transporting a virus-bearing serum, most often during blood transfusion, by contaminated needles and syringes used medically or for injecting drugs, and by acupuncture or tattooing. The virus is also present in other body fluids, such as semen, vaginal fluid, saliva, and tears.\n\nHepatitis B can cause lifelong infection and lead to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, and liver failure. It causes more than 250,000 deaths each year worldwide with the highest incidence in Africa, south-eastern Asia, Alaska, China, and the Amazon. In 2000 there were 565 cases reported in the United Kingdom which, compared with the 1984 figure of 3,000, represents a decline—although many cases go unreported.\n\nIn 1965 Baruch Samuel Blumberg, an American research scientist, identified a viral component (known as the Australia antigen) that determines whether a sample of blood can transmit hepatitis B. All samples of blood intended for transfusion are now routinely tested for the antigen; this has greatly reduced the incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis.\n\nIn 1977 an Italian doctor, Mario Rizzetto, identified a virus—now called the delta hepatitis virus—that cannot replicate on its own and requires the presence of the hepatitis-B virus to be transmitted. The delta virus occurs worldwide and has caused major epidemics; this form of the disease, sometimes called hepatitis D, can also become chronic and lead to liver failure.\n\nHEPATITIS C, E, AND G \n\nThree more types of hepatitis have also been identified. Also known as non-A, non-B hepatitis, hepatitis C is mainly transmitted by infected blood and blood products, by contaminated syringes, or less commonly, in body fluids through sexual contact. It is caused by a virus that has now been cloned, and is the most common cause of post-transfusion hepatitis. About half of hepatitis C sufferers may suffer persistent infection. There is no vaccine available.\n\nHepatitis E is, like hepatitis A, transmitted in contaminated drinking water and can cause an epidemic form of the disease in tropical areas. There is no vaccine available. Hepatitis G virus is blood-borne; groups at risk include IV drug users and those who have been infected frequently with hepatitis C virus.\n\nSYMPTOMS \n\nSymptoms of all forms begin with fever, usually followed by extreme weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pains. The upper abdomen may be painful and tender. Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes) appears gradually, reaching maximum intensity at two weeks. Convalescence may take up to six months. Hepa
1084196
If they have hepatitis B & C it is safe to visit them as long as you don't swap body fluids or engage in any activities that might expose you to blood.  Hep A is fine just be sure to wash your hands afterwards, and before touching your eyes or mouth, or eating anything.
521303
Has he been tested? If he hasn't he needs to be. If he doesn't have it then yes by all means wear a condom if it will give him peace of mind. The following FAQ is from the CDC.\n\nHow is HCV spread from one person to another? \n\n How could a person have gotten hepatitis C?\nHCV is spread primarily by direct contact with human blood. For example, you may have gotten infected with HCV if: \n\nyou ever injected street drugs, as the needles and/or other drug "works" used to prepare or inject the drug(s) may have had someone else's blood that contained HCV on them. \nyou received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor whose blood contained HCV. \nyou were ever on long-term kidney dialysis as you may have unknowingly shared supplies/equipment that had someone else's blood on them. \nyou were ever a healthcare worker and had frequent contact with blood on the job, especially accidental needlesticks. \nyour mother had hepatitis C at the time she gave birth to you. During the birth her blood may have gotten into your body. \nyou ever had sex with a person infected with HCV. \nyou lived with someone who was infected with HCV and shared items such as razors or toothbrushes that might have had his/her blood on them. \n How long can HCV live outside the body and transmit infection? \nRecent studies suggest that HCV may survive on environmental surfaces at room temperature at least 16 hours, but no longer than 4 days.\n\n What do you use to remove HCV from environmental surfaces?\nYou should clean up any blood spills - including dried blood, which can still be infectious - using 1:10 dilution of one part household bleach to 10 parts of water for disinfecting the area. Use gloves when cleaning up any blood spills.\n\n Is there any evidence that HCV has been spread during medical or dental procedures done in the United States? \nMedical and dental procedures done in the United States generally do not pose a risk for the spread of HCV. However, there have been a few situations in which HCV has been spread between patients when supplies or equipment were shared between them. \n\n Can HCV be spread by sexual activity? \nYes, but this does not occur very often. See section below on counseling for more information on hepatitis C and sexual activity. \n\n Can HCV be spread by oral sex?\nThere is no evidence that HCV has been spread by oral sex. See section on counseling for more information on hepatitis C and sexual activity. \n\n Can HCV be spread within a household? \nYes, but this does not occur very often. If HCV is spread within a household, it is most likely due to direct exposure to the blood of an infected household member.\n\nCan you get Hepatitis C from getting a tattoo?\nAlthough biologically possible when poor infection control practices are used, there is no evidence that hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been spread through tattooing. For more information...\n\nSince more advanced tests have been developed for use in blood banks, what is the chance now that a person can get HCV infection from transfused blood or blood products? \nLess than 1 chance per 2 million units transfused.\n\n Is it possible that HCV could be transmitted through the bite of a mosquito or other blood sucking arthropods, especially in third world countries? \nHepatitis C virus has not been shown to be transmitted by mosquitoes or other arthropods.\n\n How can a person protect themselves from getting hepatitis C and other diseases spread by contact with human blood? \n\nDon't ever shoot drugs. If you shoot drugs, stop and get into a treatment program. If you can't stop, never reuse or share syringes, water, or drug works, and get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. \nDo not share toothbrushes, razors, or other personal care articles. They might have blood on them. \nIf you are a healthcare worker, always follow routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other sharps. Get vaccinated against hepati
977805
Hepatitis is a group of viral infections that affect the liver causing acute/chronic inflammation which eventually may lead to liver failure or cancer and ultimately death. The B, C, and D group are blood borne and/or sexually transmitted or by vertical transmission from mother to child. Hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) is notoriously known to cause chronic liver disease and the risk for liver hepatoma/cancer is much higher than for HBV.\nJust like most viral infections, there is no definite cure by antiviral or antibiotic therapy. However, some antiviral drugs such as lamivudine (sometimes used to treat HIV) may hold some promise but no definite cure. It is important to note that most people do not die eventually from chronic hepatitis since it is a chronic disease. They may die of other causes. If you are sexually-active, also consider protecting your spouse/partner from picking up the infection by using appropriate barrier methods. \n\nI would advice you go on a high carbohydrate diet/low protein diet; take multivitamins supplements. have your doctor keep an eye on your liver function tests say on a yearly basis. Most other drugs used as supportive therapy are fraught with bad side effects.
353097
This is a lengthy answer, sorry!\n\nThe chance of the virus being transmitted to the baby is 5-10%. Pregnanacy with Hep C is not officially discouraged.\n\nhttp://www.hepcbc.ca/pregnancy.htm\n\nPregnant patients with hepatitis C should be advised to:\n\nObtain vaccination against hepatitis viruses A and B as indicated. \nAbstain form alcohol use. \nAvoid hepatotoxic drugs such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) that may worsen liver damage. \nInform the infant’s pediatrician of the mother’s hepatitis C status. \nNot donate blood, body organs, other tissue, or semen. \nNot share any personal items that may have blood on them (e.g., toothbrushes and razors). \nDiscuss the low but present risk for transmission with their partner and discuss the need for counseling and testing. However, HCV-positive persons with one long-term, steady sex partner do not need to change their sexual practices. \n\nLiver enzymes and PCR should be obtained at the beginning of pregnancy, and as needed thereafter\n\nThe following recommendations from The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada may be helpful in counseling women considering amniocentesis.\n\nSOGC Recommendations \n\n\n“Amniocentesis in women infected with hepatitis C does not appear to significantly increase the risk of vertical transmission, but women should be counseled that very few studies have properly addressed this possibility. \nIn HIV-positive women all noninvasive screening tools should be used prior to considering amniocentesis. \nFor women infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV, the addition of noninvasive methods of prenatal risk screening, such as nuchal translucency, triple screening, and anatomic ultrasound, may help in reducing the age-related risk to a level below the threshold for genetic amniocentesis. \nFor those women infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV who insist on amniocentesis, every effort should be made to avoid inserting the needle through the placenta. “ \n\nDelivery and Postpartum\nThe risk of vertical transmission of HCV appears to be related to the level of viremia in the pregnant mother and not to the route of delivery. The virus does not appear to be transmitted when a woman's titer is < 10^6/mL or is negative. Although Tejari et al and Conte et al did not find cesarean section to be protective against transmission of HCV to the neonate Gibb et al have found the HCV maternal to child (MTC) transmission rate to be reduced in patient delivered by elective cesarean. The latter study has yet to be confirmed. Elective cesarean to reduce MCT transmission of HCV is not presently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. At delivery staff and the baby’s pediatrician should be notified of the mother’s hepatitis C carrier state.\nBreastfeeding does not appreciably increase the risk of transmitting HCV to a neonate.\n\nhttp://www.perinatology.com/exposures/Infection/HepatitisC.htm
1110219
I have Hep-C, it is true once u have it u always carry it, its just that i have to get blood wk. done every 3 months, your enzymes go up & down. its almost as if having something that gos dotmat & then flares up again its always if your system. I even get liver biopsys done to see if i have any scaring cuz it can get worse in time.
473525
"If you had hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) caused by a virus, or unexplained jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin), since age 11, you are not eligible to donate blood. This includes those who had hepatitis with Cytomegalovirus (CMV), or Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), the virus that causes Mononucleosis. \n\nAcceptable if you had jaundice or hepatitis caused by something other than a viral infection, for example: medications, Gilbert's disease, bile duct obstruction, alcohol, gallstones or trauma to the liver. \n\nIf you ever tested positive for hepatitis B or hepatitis C , at any age, you are not eligible to donate, even if you were never sick or jaundiced from the infection."\n\nhttp://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html
228810
It is a possibility that Hepatitis C can be transmitted by saliva. It can be transmitted by blood, sexual contact, perinatal contact, and other unknown factors.
1039300
no because hep c comes from sharing needles, and if u are just reusing the needles on urself its ok, but if u re-use them too much they get blunt and bend and stuff so its easier to bruise and bleed and they hurt more if they where new needles . .
203055
Hepatitis A, B, and C are viral infections that, combined, affect an estimated 5% to 6% of Americans. \n\nHepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A usually causes temporary liver inflammation, and most people recover without any long-term liver problems. \n\nOther viruses, most commonly hepatitis B and hepatitis C, also cause hepatitis. Hepatitis A is the most common type of viral hepatitis.\n\nHepatitis B is a serious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Infection with this virus can cause scarring of the liver, liver failure, liver cancer, and even death. \n\nHepatitis B is spread in infected blood and other bodily fluids such as semen and vaginal secretions. \n\nWhat Happens to People With Hepatitis B? \n\nIn most cases (up to 95%), hepatitis B causes limited infection. Usually people manage to fight off the infection successfully within a few months, developing an immunity that lasts a lifetime. (This means you won't get the infection again.) Blood tests show evidence of this immunity, but no signs of active infection. \n\nWhile the majority of hepatitis B patients recover completely, a small percentage of them can't shake the disease and become carriers. Carriers can transmit the disease to others even when their own symptoms have vanished. \n\nSome carriers go on to develop chronic hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis is an ongoing infection of the liver that can lead to cirrhosis. Cirrhosis, or hardening of the liver, causes liver tissue to scar and stop working. \n\nIf you are carrying the virus you should not donate blood, plasma, body organs, tissue, or sperm. Tell your doctor, dentist, and sex partner that you are a hepatitis B carrier. \n\nHow Common Is Hepatitis B? \n\nApproximately 70,000 Americans contract Hepatitis B each year, making infection with this virus about twice as common as infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. However, rates have greatly declined since the 1980's when around 260,000 Americans were infected each year. This decrease in infection rates is, in large part, due to the increased use of the HBV vaccine. \n\nThere are an estimated 1.25 million people living with chronic Hepatitis B in the U.S.\n\nHow Do I Know I Have Hepatitis B? \n\nSymptoms of acute infection (when a person is first infected with hepatitis) include: \n\nJaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes and/or a brownish or orange tint to the urine) \nUnusually light colored stool \nUnexplained fatigue that persists for weeks or months \nFlu-like symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting \nAbdominal pain \nOften, symptoms occur 1-6 months after exposure. An estimated 30% of those infected do not have any symptoms at all. \n\nPeople with chronic active hepatitis experience similar symptoms, but their fatigue is much more severe, and they can have confusion or disorientation. \n\nHow Is Hepatitis B Diagnosed? \n\nIf your doctor suspects that you may have hepatitis B, he or she will perform a complete physical examination and order blood tests to look at the function of your liver. Hepatitis B is confirmed with blood tests that detect the virus. \n\nIf your disease becomes chronic, liver biopsies (tissue samples) may be obtained to detect the severity of the disease. \n\nHow Is Hepatitis B Treated? \n\nIf you get to a doctor shortly after the exposure, you'll often receive immediate immunization with the Hepatitis B vaccination and a shot to boost the immune system to fight off the infection. \n\nBut if you get sick, bed rest is usually necessary to speed recovery. Some doctors recommend a special diet, and suggest that sufferers try to eat as much as possible despite the nausea. \n\nAlso, take extra care of your liver! Now is not the time to drink alcohol, or take Tylenol (acetaminophen) as they can harm the liver. Check with your doctor before taking any other medications, herbal remedies, or supplements as some of them can worse