The incubation period of the hepatitis B virus is 75 days on average, but can vary from 30 to 180 days. The virus may be detected within 30 to 60 days after infection and can persist and develop into chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B infection may be either short-lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic). Acute hepatitis B infection lasts less than six months. Your immune system likely can clear acute hepatitis B from your body, and you should recover completely within a few months.

Currently no curative therapy is available. The therapies available to date inhibit virus replication, but need to be given long-term. As long as infected people cannot form an adequate immune response, the virus will survive.

Acute Hepatitis B Infection If they have not been infected – and have not received the hepatitis B vaccine – then they should also start the hepatitis B vaccine series. Symptoms of an acute infection may include loss of appetite, joint and muscle pain, low-grade fever, and possible stomach pain.

Most adults who acquire HBV clear the virus within a few months, and their hepatitis B surface antigen test result will be negative after that time. Some people remain infected and continue to test positive for hepatitis B surface antigen.

No. If you have been infected with hepatitis B in the past, you can’t get infected again. However, some people, especially those infected during early childhood, remain infected for life because they never cleared the virus from their bodies.

Patients with Hepatitis B & C whose serum iron level is elevated, or who have cirrhosis, should avoid taking iron supplements and restrict the iron rich foods in their diet, such as red meats, liver, and cereals fortified with iron.

If you have been diagnosed with hepatitis B or C and chronic liver disease, you may qualify for Social Security disability (or SSI) benefits under the agency’s official listing for liver disease. If not, you may be able to show that the symptoms of hepatitis B or C reduce your capacity to work.

Hepatitis B isn’t spread through saliva (spit), so you CAN’T get hepatitis B from sharing food or drinks or using the same fork or spoon. Hepatitis B is also not spread through kissing, hugging, holding hands, coughing, sneezing, or breastfeeding.

Hepatitis B is not spread through kissing, hugging, breastfeeding, sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses, coughing, sneezing, food, water, or casual contact.

Hepatitis B is highly contagious. It spreads through contact with infected blood and certain other bodily fluids. Although the virus can be found in saliva, it’s not spread through sharing utensils or kissing.