How is hepatitis B treated?
Treatment of hepatitis B infection depends on how active the virus is. It also depends on whether you are at risk for liver damage such as cirrhosis.
Treatment of short-term (acute) hepatitis B
Treatment depends on whether you:
- Have been recently infected with the virus.
- Have the symptoms of an acute infection.
- Have a chronic infection.
If you haven't had a hepatitis B vaccine and think you may have been exposed to the virus, you should get a shot of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG). You should also get the first of three shots of the hepatitis B vaccine. Make sure to get this treatment within 7 days after a needle stick and within 2 weeks after sexual contact that may have exposed you to the virus. The sooner you get treatment after exposure, the better it works.
If you have the symptoms of an acute infection, treatment with antiviral medicine usually isn't needed. Home treatment usually will relieve your symptoms. It includes eating well, drinking plenty of fluids, and avoiding alcohol and drugs.
In some cases, you may get medicine to treat an acute infection. But this usually isn't done unless you are very sick.
Treatment of long-term (chronic) hepatitis B
Treatment depends on how active the virus is in your body and your chance of liver damage. The goal of treatment is to stop liver damage by keeping the virus from multiplying.
Antiviral medicine is used if the virus is active and you are at risk for liver damage. Medicine slows how well the virus can multiply.
Antiviral treatment isn't given to everyone who has chronic hepatitis B.
Follow-up visits
Whether or not you take medicine, you will need to visit your doctor regularly. He or she will do blood tests to check your liver and the activity of the hepatitis B virus in your body.
Some of the tests can find out if the virus is multiplying in your liver, which would increase your risk of liver damage.
Liver transplant
If you have advanced liver damage and your condition becomes life-threatening, you may need a liver transplant. But not everyone is a good candidate for a liver transplant.