What does Hepatitis B mean

for me and my family?

Counseling Hepatitis B Carriers
 Main Questions for Counseling
Sessions

 What is the disease?

 What will it mean for my health?
 What will it mean for the health of my family?
 What are the most important steps I can take for
my own health and the health of my family?
 Information about the disease
 Hepatitis = “inflammation of the liver”
 Hepatitis B -> a particular virus causing
inflammation of the liver
 Acute infection and chronic infection
 Transmitted by exposure to blood and sexual
contact
 Many people here first contract the virus in
childhood (especially chronic carriers)
 What will it mean for my health?
What symptoms will I have as a
carrier?
Symptoms of chronic hepatitis are varied…
 Majority of people have no symptoms

 May have short episodes like acute hepatitis

 Fatigue, anorexia, nausea
 Right upper quadrant pain (usually mild)

 Other symptoms: can have kidney problems

(nephrotic syndrome) or vascular inflammation
 What will it mean for my health?
What is the prognosis for carriers?
 Carriers have an increased chance of having
complications of chronic liver disease leading to
cirrhosis or liver cancer
How can I recognize if I have these problems?
 Symptoms of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer:
 „Yellow skin and eyes‟ (jaundice)
 Fatigue
 Weight loss, anorexia
 Fluid collection in abdomen (ascites) /legs (oedema)
 Mental confusion
 If patient has these problems, should go to a clinic
 What will it mean for my health?
What is the treatment?

 Carriers do not need treatment if they have no

symptoms
 For carriers who have prolonged symptoms of
acute liver disease or chronic liver disease:
 Medications exist which slow down the replication of the
virus (eg: lamivudine, adefovir, entecavir etc)
 Availability here is the issue…
 What can I do to protect my health
as a Hep B carrier?

 Avoid alcohol – all types of alcohol are harmful

to the liver (including beer) and even small
amounts may worsen liver disease.
 Eat a well-balanced diet – for general health, eat
a diet with lots of vegetables, low in fat
 Exercise - for general health
 What can I do to protect my health
as a Hep B carrier?
 Use of Drugs and Medications
 Many medications are broken down by the liver and
should be used carefully if the liver is already scarred (ie if
patient has symptoms of liver disease)
 If the patient has no symptoms/signs, most medications
are safe to use
 Patients should be told to use Paracetamol with care (no
more than 2g per 24 hours)
 Patients should tell health care providers that they are
carriers of hepatitis B whenever at a clinic
 What will it mean for the health of
my family?
 Carriers can pass the virus on to others
including those in their family via:
 Sexual contact
 Childbirth

 Shared razors, toothbrushes

 Exposure to blood/open wounds

What can I do to protect my family’s
health?
 All family members and sexual contacts should
be vaccinated.
 Sexual contact: use a condom if partner is not
vaccinated (or if has not received all 3
vaccinations yet)
 Babies should be vaccinated at birth
 Avoid sharing razors, toothbrushes with others.
 Special Issue: HepB Carriers Who
are Health Workers
 All health care workers should know their HepB
status
 If not exposed, get vaccinated as soon as
possible (protect yourself and your family!)
 If carrier:
 Universal precautions are always important
 Can consider working in departments with limited need
for invasive procedures (eg: OPD or VCT) to protect
patients
Thank you!
Questions?