Hepatitis B - Cure and Treatment

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and when the virus causing it belongs to a particular kind known as type B, the disease is known as Hepatitis B. It is contracted by exposure to infected blood or bodily fluids which makes the disease one of the easiest to spread. Treatment of Hepatitis B depends on the kind as well as degree of infection which is best determined by a doctor.

Treatment of acute Hepatitis B

1. In acute cases, Hepatitis B is usually treated in a conservative manner. The doctor may advise plenty of rest so that the body gets the time and energy to focus on the job of healing itself. This is especially true in the self-limiting kind of Hepatitis B. However the doctor may also prescribe supportive therapy in order to lessen symptoms like nausea, pain in the muscles and joints.
    
2. Yet another important aspect of Hepatitis B treatment is a well-balanced diet. Since you may experience nausea and loss of appetite, try to take small frequent snacks instead of three large meals in a day. Light soups or broth, toast, yoghurt and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal. Varying the menus will make them appetizing and easier to stick to the recommended diet. At times patients are worried whether they should take protein; this is because one of the main functions of the liver is to process the protein taken as food and a diseased liver is not able to do this well. However the extent of protein restriction will depend on your particular condition and is best advised by a doctor. Usually you can continue with protein from plant and dairy sources as well as white meat like poultry which are easily digested.
    
3. Fresh vegetables and fruits are important to give the body a constant supply of vitamins and minerals needed to heal the liver as well as for better digestion. Some of these are Vitamins C, D, E, B-complex and A in the beta carotene form. However if your doctor feels that you are not getting the adequate doses of required vitamins from a restricted diet, you may be advised vitamin and mineral supplements.
    
4. It is important to avoid certain foods and drinks when you have contracted Hepatitis B. Primary among these is alcohol in any form since alcohol is toxic to liver cells and will slow down their recovery. Likewise it is best to keep away from tobacco as well as fatty and oily foods which are difficult to digest.

Treatment of chronic Hepatitis B

In case of those patients whose bodies are unable to clear the Hepatitis B virus on their own, go, the disease takes on a chronic form. There is still no single, absolute cure for Chronic Hepatitis B; rather treatment of this condition focuses on two things – suppression of the Hepatitis V virus and stopping active liver diseases. As a result conventional treatment for this condition involves use of two types of medicines – those which boost the immune system of the body like interferons and those like anti-virals that target the virus so that it cannot replicate itself .

1. Interferon
   
   The Food and Drug Administration in United States has approved two types of interferon for hepatitis B treatment. The interferon available to adults and children is called conventional or interferon alpha-2b. Pegylated interferon, approved only for adults to date, is the newest interferon approved for hepatitis B.  Both are ideal when the viral load is low and ALT levels are high. However the pegylated interferon is a time-release one and is believed by experts to be more effective at spurring the immune system to target HBV than conventional interferon. Interferon is given by injection and is administered for 16 weeks. It is very expensive and does have a number of side effects, a few of them quite serious.
    
2. Antivirals
   
   These directly target the DNA of the Hepatitis B virus so that it cannot reproduce itself. When viral load drops, liver damage declines because there are fewer viruses invading liver cells and ALT levels also normalize. Four kinds of antivirals have been approved by the FDA for adults and these are  lamivudine (brand name Epivir-HBV), adefovir (Hepsera), entecavir (Baraclude), and telbivudine (Tyzeka). Only lamivudine has been approved for treatment of Hepatitis B  in children. Among these the safest drug is lamivudine which is usually taken daily in the form of a pill or an oral solution. However it is not a permanent or complete cure. It keeps the virus in check for only as long as it is taken. When a patient stops taking the medicine, HBV DNA and ALT levels usually rebound. Another drawback of lamivudine is the tendency of certain Hepatitis B viruses to become resistant to it. Over time, the non-resistant viruses decline, but the lamivudine-resistant HBV rebound until viral load and ALT levels start to climb once again. After four years of lamivudine treatment, more than 60 percent of patients develop lamivudine-resistant HBV.

New treatments

In recent years, there has been considerable research on making treatment for Hepatitis B not only more absolute but also more tolerable and cost-effective. The newest treatment is focusing on the nucleotide analogue adeforir dipivoxil also known by its brand name Hepsera. Nucleoside/nucleotide analogues are man-made chemicals that mimic the nucleosides and nucleotides that are used for making DNA. When Hepatitis B  virus tries to use the analogues to make its own DNA, it is unable to make the DNA and, therefore, cannot reproduce. Researchers and physicians are also exploring various combinations of interferons and antivirals. The goal is to first knock down the amount of virus, and then boost the immune system in order to vanquish the remaining HBV.

However till the time a complete and fool-proof cure is invented, the best way to deal with Hepatitis B remains prevention. Fortunately there is a vaccine available which is 90-95% effective in preventing Hepatitis B and preventing the chronic form of the disease. Three doses, given at 0, 1, and 6 months are necessary to assure protection. 79% of World Health Organization members have already adopted the universal childhood Hepatitis B vaccination policy which also forms part of CDC’s schedule of vaccines for children.