Can hepatitis b remain dormant in your system and flare up long after the intial infection?

how long does it usually take for symptoms to manifest? can it be dormant and just show up one day or does it happen right after infection? Also, are their other ways of infection or is it just an STD?

Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The good news is, most people who become infected with HBV are able to clear the virus from their bloodstream and develop immunity. People who have not cleared their virus after six months are considered to have chronic hepatitis B 鈥?a condition that often requires treatment to prevent further damage to the liver. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, liver failure and death.

Hepatitis B is different than hepatitis A or C. Hepatitis A is an acute (short-term) infection spread through feces or contaminated water or food. An effective vaccine is available and most patients recover completely within 6 to 10 weeks. Hepatitis C is spread through infected blood and body fluids (predominantly through injection drug use). There is no vaccine and approximately 85% of those infected will develop a chronic condition.

Hepatitis B Facts:

- It is estimated that 1.25 million people have chronic hepatitis B in the United States, and as many as 1 out of 10 Asian Americans has chronic hepatitis B
- There is a vaccine that can prevent hepatitis B
- 15 to 25 percent of people chronically infected with hepatitis B will eventually die from liver disease without treatment
- Worldwide, chronic hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer and is the sixth leading cause of liver transplantation
- Hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more contagious than HIV (the virus that causes AIDS)

Method of Spread:

HBV is an extremely strong virus that can live outside the body for a week or longer. It can be found in the blood, semen and vaginal secretions of infected people, and low concentrations can be found in saliva. HBV can be transmitted through:
=> Direct blood-to-blood contact
=> Unprotected sex
=> Unsterile needles
=> From an infected mother to her baby during childbirth
=> From tattooing, body piercing or acupuncture with infected needles
=> Shaving razors, toothbrushes, earrings or other personal items that may come in contact with blood

Note:
HBV is not transmitted casually and cannot be spread through sneezing, coughing, hugging or food or water.

What are the Risk Factors?

One out of every 20 people in the United States will become infected with hepatitis B at some point during their life.

People who are at increased risk for contracting hepatitis B include:
- Asian-Pacific Americans: hepatitis B is up to 150 times more common in Asians than in the general population of the United States
- Infants and Children of Immigrants From Areas with High Rates of HBV Infection
- Sexually Active Adults and Teenagers: this includes people who have had multiple sex partners (past or present); people who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease; and men who have sex with men.
- Healthcare and Public Safety Workers: approximately one healthcare worker dies each day from hepatitis B.
- Injection Drug Users
- People Who Get Tattoos or Body Piercings
- Babies Born to Mothers Who Are HBV Carriers: 90 percent of babies who have hepatitis B at birth will be infected for the rest of their lives.

Other high-risk groups include partners of or people living in close household contact with an infected person, people who use blood products for medical conditions and people who travel to countries where hepatitis B is common.

What are the Hep B Symptoms?

Half of all people infected with the hepatitis B virus have no symptoms.

Symptoms develop within 30-180 days of exposure to the virus. The symptoms are often compared to flu. Most people think they have flu and never think about having HBV infection.

- Appetite loss
- Feeling tired (fatigue)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Itching all over the body
- Pain over the liver (on the right side of the abdomen, under the lower rib cage)
- Jaundice - A condition in which the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow in color
- Urine becomes dark in color (like cola or tea).
- Stools are pale in color (grayish or clay colored).

=> Many types of acute viral hepatitis have similar symptoms (hepatitis A, hepatitis C).
=> Fulminant hepatitis is an unusual illness. It is a severe form of acute hepatitis that can be life threatening if not treated right away. The symptoms develop very suddenly.
- Mental disturbances such as confusion, lethargy, extreme sleepiness or hallucinations (hepatic encephalopathy)
- Sudden collapse with fatigue
- Jaundice
- Swelling of the abdomen

=>Prolonged nausea and vomiting can cause dehydration. If you have been vomiting repeatedly, you may notice these symptoms:
- Feeling tired or weak
- Feeling confused or having difficulty concentrating
- Headache
- Not urinating
- Irritability

=> Symptoms of liver failure may include the following:
- Fluid retention causing swelling of the belly (ascites) and sometimes the legs
- Weight gain due to ascites
- Persistent jaundice
- Loss of appetite, weight loss, wasting
- Vomiting with blood in the vomit
- Bleeding from the nose, mouth, or rectum or blood in the stool
- Hepatic encephalopathy (excessive sleepiness, mental confusion, and in advanced stages, development of coma)

How is Hep B treated?

Acute hepatitis B usually goes away by itself and does not require medical treatment. If very severe, symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea may require treatment to restore fluids and electrolytes. There are no medications that can prevent acute hepatitis B from becoming chronic.

If you have chronic hepatitis B, you should see your health care provider regularly.

Pay special attention to Self-Care at Home

The goals of self-care are to relieve symptoms and prevent worsening of the disease.

=> Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Water is fine; broth, sports drinks, Jello, frozen ice treats (such as Popsicles), and fruit juices are even better because they provide calories.

=> Avoid medicines and substances that can cause harm to the liver, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol).

=> Avoid drinking alcohol until your health care provider OKs it. If your infection becomes chronic, you should avoid alcohol for the rest of your life.

=> Avoid using drugs, even legal drugs, without consulting your doctor. Hepatitis can change the way drugs affect you. If you take prescription medications, continue taking them unless your health care provider has told you to stop. Do not start any new medication (prescription or nonprescription), herbs, or supplements without first talking to your health care provider.

=> Try to eat enough for adequate nutrition. Eat foods that appeal to you, but try to maintain a balanced diet. Many people with hepatitis have the greatest urge to eat early in the day.

=> Take it easy. Your activity level should match your energy level.

=> Avoid prolonged, vigorous exercise until symptoms start to improve.

=> Call your health care provider for advice if your condition worsens or new symptoms appear.
=> Avoid any activity that may spread the infection to other people.

Important:
If you are in one of these high-risk groups or think you may have been in contact with a person infected with HBV, it is important that you visit your doctor or clinic. A simple blood test can easily determine whether or not you have been infected.

I hope it helps. Source(s): http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hepat...
http://www.hepb.org/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheet...
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/gi/hepb...
http://www.hepsera.com/symptoms.aspx...

I had hep b eight years ago and now negative. Sick and tired for about 6 months and you are contagious until you become negative. Don't drink alcohol or you may die from the crap and never become negative. After 6 months you go get tested. If you are negative then you are home safe. You wont pass it sexually. Yes, you carry the core of the disease forever. All that means is they can find that you've had it, but don't meen your still contagious.

Take Ester c in high doses to feel better sooner. I was able to take 15,000 milligrams a day just to have a little energy! It really works! Read Maureen Salamon's book- Foods that heal - to find out what I'm talking about. When you start to feel better you'll be able to cut back (I now only take 2000 mils a day) I found out the vit c helps allergies to everything.

One more tidbit- After I was over the crap I contracted bacterial mengitus. Your immune system is prone to othe crap after you've had this ( good India doc told me). So you need to avoid the public if possible until your totally better- even after negative. I wish someone would of told me this-pass it on if you can.