Hepatitis B: Screening, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

Hepatitis B: Screening, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2019 Mar 01;99(5):314-323 Authors: Wilkins T, Sams R, Carpenter M Abstract Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a partly double-stranded DNA virus that causes acute and chronic liver infection. Screening for hepatitis B is recommended in pregnant women at their first prenatal visit and in adolescents and adults at high risk of chronic infection. Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for medically stable infants weighing 2,000 g or more within 24 hours of birth, unvaccinated infants and children, and unvaccinated adults requesting protection from hepatitis B or who are at increased risk of infection. Acute hepatitis B is defined as the discrete onset of symptoms, the presence of jaundice or elevated serum alanine transaminase levels, and test results showing hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core antigen. There is no evidence that antiviral treatment is effective for acute hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B is defined as the persistence of hepatitis B surface antigen for more than six months. Individuals with chronic hepatitis B are at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, but morbidity and mortality are reduced with adequate treatment. Determining the stage of liver disease (e.g., evidence of inflammation, fibrosis) is important to guide therapeutic decisions and the need for surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma. Treatment should be individu...
Source: American Family Physician - Category: Primary Care Authors: Tags: Am Fam Physician Source Type: research