Dr. Sabrina Kendrick, Director of the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, talks about the symptoms, transmission, testing and treatment of the Hepatitis B virus. Real Help on Hepatitis B; Sabrina Kendrick, M.D.; Brought to you by getSTDtested.com. Hepatitis B is a virus that
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affects the liver and causes inflammation of this organ and it can be sexually transmitted as well as transmitted through blood products. Hepatitis B is transmitted through sex and it can be transmitted through sharing needles or through blood transfusions. Persons who have Hepatitis B can present with fever, nausea, vomiting, sometimes diarrhea, abdominal pain, joint aches, and just overall generalized fatigue. The test for Hepatitis B involves a blood specimen that is sent to the lab. For most patients who acquire Hepatitis B, the body develops an immune response that clears the virus and the infection is over and they are considered immune. But then for a small percentage of patients that go on to develop chronic Hepatitis, those persons are eligible for combination antiretrovirals that can eventually clear the virus over time. For chronic untreated Hepatitis B, these patients can go on to develop liver cancer. To prevent transmission of Hepatitis B more commonly for those cases that are sexually transmitted, you should use protection. For those cases that are transmitted by blood products, I would say to not share your needles.
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