Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus(HPV). The virus is passed from person to person through blood, semen or other body fluids. It does not spread by sneezing or coughing. Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection. For some people, Hepatitis B infection becomes chronic, meaning it lasts more than six months. Having chronic Hepatitis B increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis (a condition that permanently scars the liver).

The signs and symptoms of Hepatitis B ranges from mild to severe, and usually appears about one to four months after infection. These includes: abdominal pains, dark urine, fever, joint pains, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weakness and fatigue, yellowing of skin and the whiteness of eyes.
Common ways that it can spread includes: Sexual contact, if one engages in unprotected sex with infected person through the carrier’s blood, saliva, semen or vagina secretions; Sharing of needles, razors or toothbrush; Accidental needle sticks and Mother to child.

Complications of the infection are: scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) which can impair the liver’s ability to function, liver cancer, liver failure and kidney disease or inflammation of blood vessels. Anyone with the above signs and symptoms should promptly seek medical attention on time.