Ask the Doctor: How does one treat Hepatitis B infection?
The first step is to get tested for Hepatitis so that if you are found to be positive medical assistance and treatment is given early to avoid complications. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The commonest virus that causes hepatitis in Uganda is the vaccine preventable hepatitis B for which once one is properly vaccinated with three doses of the vaccine, they are protected against infection.
I have not received any vaccination against Hepatitis B but recently had sexual intercourse with a man who tested positive for Hepatitis B. What is the best treatment option? Nightingale
Dear Nightngale,
Hepatitis means infection (or inflammation) of the liver, which among others may be caused by viruses, bacteria, drugs or toxins.
The commonest virus that causes hepatitis in Uganda is the vaccine preventable hepatitis B for which once one is properly vaccinated with three doses of the vaccine, they are protected against infection. However, even when protected, one should still practice safe sex since there are other dangerous sexually transmitted diseases that they may get or spread.
If one is not immunised against hepatitis B and has unprotected intercourse with an infected person, they should within 24 hours get immunised against Hepatitis B and ensure they get the recommended three doses. In some cases, a doctor may add Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) to further help prevent infection.
Proper way to get vaccinated against Hepatitis B
I was vaccinated against hepatitis B but only received one dose. Can I restart and receive the recommended three doses? Ammy
Dear Ammy,
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects individuals when blood, semen, or other body fluids from an infected person enter the body of someone who is not infected. The virus can damage the liver, leading to liver cirrhosis, cancer, liver failure and death.
Prevention of Hepatitis B involves addressing the transmission, apart from immunisation against the virus.
In adults, when the first dose of Hepatitis B vaccine is given, the second dose should be given a month after the first dose while the third dose is given six months after the first dose. This may protect one for 30 years, more or even for life.
If one did not take the second and third scheduled doses, they need not restart but can have the second dose as soon as possible followed by the third dose after an interval of at least eight weeks. If one missed only the third dose, it can be given as soon as possible without starting afresh.
What causes headache during pregnancy?
I usually suffer from excruciating headaches during pregnancy that I fear getting pregnant again. What causes these headaches? Molly
Dear Molly,
Eighty percent of human headaches are caused by stress and anxiety, 10 percent by diseases such as hypertension, malaria or typhoid and 10 percent by problems involving head structures including the sinuses and eyes.
So, if one has had a headache because of any of the above, pregnancy may worsen the headaches given the stress that comes with being pregnant, not getting enough sleep or increased blood volume during pregnancy.
Other causes include low blood sugar, dehydration and other diseases such as pregnancy-related hypertension.
Whereas headaches affect both men and women, hormonal changes that happen more in women are likely to cause more headaches in women. The hormones oestrogen and progesterone, involved in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, can also affect headache-related chemicals in the brain leading to headaches during pregnancy.
Oestrogen levels rise rapidly in early pregnancy and remain high throughout pregnancy, reducing headaches in some pregnant women but in others, headaches might worsen.
Migraines may improve or even disappear during pregnancy while tension headaches usually worsen since they are not made worse by hormone changes.
If you have chronic headaches, before you become pregnant, ask your doctor about altered behaviours such as getting more sleep or rest and relaxation in pregnancy and medications that can help stop or ease the headaches.
Many headache medications have harmful or unknown effects on the developing baby and should, therefore, be avoided.
For example, many headache medications have drugs for pain and added caffeine yet caffeine can cause faetal abnormalities in pregnancy.
