Hepatitis B: Causes, Treatment, and What You Need to Know

When you hear hepatitis B, a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Also known as HBV, it's one of the most common liver infections worldwide, yet many people don’t know they have it until serious damage has happened. Unlike the flu, hepatitis B doesn’t go away on its own for everyone. For some, it clears up in weeks. For others, it sticks around for life — turning into chronic hepatitis, a long-term condition that increases risk of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. The virus spreads through blood, sexual contact, or from mother to baby during birth. It’s not spread by sharing food, hugging, or coughing.

What makes hepatitis B tricky is how silent it can be. Many people feel fine for years while the virus quietly damages their liver. That’s why testing matters — especially if you’ve had unprotected sex, shared needles, or were born in a region where hepatitis B is common, like parts of Asia, Africa, or Eastern Europe. The good news? There’s a safe and effective hepatitis B vaccine, a series of shots that prevents infection and is now standard for newborns and at-risk adults. If you’re already infected, treatment focuses on slowing the virus with antiviral treatment, medications like tenofovir or entecavir that reduce liver damage and lower the chance of spreading the virus. These aren’t cures, but they keep the virus under control for decades.

People with chronic hepatitis B need regular monitoring — liver function tests, ultrasound scans, and sometimes biopsies — to catch problems early. Lifestyle choices matter too: avoiding alcohol, staying away from unregulated herbal supplements, and getting vaccinated against hepatitis A can protect your liver further. The posts below cover real-world issues: how antivirals work, what to watch for when switching meds, how liver damage shows up over time, and why some people respond better to treatment than others. You’ll also find info on drug interactions, long-term side effects, and how to avoid scams selling fake cures. This isn’t theoretical. These are the same concerns patients and pharmacists deal with every day.