What Are the Treatments for Acute Hepatitis B?

The hepatitis B virus causes the liver to become inflamed. There are two forms of hepatitis B--acute and chronic. In the acute form, liver inflammation resolves in six months or less. The chronic form is when the inflammation persists for longer than six months. The good news is that for approximately 95 percent of adults with acute hepatitis B, the disease will not lead to chronic hepatitis B. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than one percent of acute hepatitis B cases result in death. Many people who have acute hepatitis B experience minor symptoms or no symptoms at all. Others develop flu-like symptoms. Usually symptoms of acute hepatitis B resolve within a few weeks, without the need for medical treatment.

Bed Rest, Nutrition and Fluids

The symptoms associated with acute hepatitis B may include fatigue, body aches, fever, jaundice, nausea and vomiting. Treatment focuses on easing symptoms. Bed rest is prescribed for fatigue, body aches and fever. When nausea and vomiting are present, treatment focuses on adequate nutrition and fluid intake to prevent malnourishment and dehydration.

Alcohol Abstinence

Since hepatitis B inflames the liver, people diagnosed with the virus should abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages and using medications that are hard for the liver to process. If you have hepatitis B, always ask your doctor before taking any new medication.

Regular Doctor Visits

Acute hepatitis B patients should receive monthly checkups with their doctors to monitor symptoms. If symptoms become severe, the doctor may prescribe antiviral medications to reduce the damage caused by the hepatitis B virus.

Prevention After Exposure

In some cases, receiving the hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) after exposure to the hepatitis B can prevent a person from contracting the virus. If you think you have been exposed to the virus, see your doctor as soon as possible. The vaccine and HBIG should be given within two weeks of exposure, but is most effective if given within 24 hours of exposure to the hepatitis B virus.

The World Health Organization recommends that Infants born to hepatitis B positive mothers should be given the vaccine and HBIG within 12 hours. Preventative treatment is especially important for infants and young children, who have a high risk of developing chronic hepatitis B. The CDC estimates that 90 percent of infants and up to 50 percents of children five-years-old and younger who become infected with hepatitis B will develop the chronic form of the virus.