On the "Yaşamaq Gözəldir" TV program, we discussed liver health, hepatitis, and methods of treatment in detail. Although the idea that "Hepatitis B is a curable disease" is frequently discussed among people, it is necessary to properly understand the characteristics of this virus and the realities of its treatment.
Is hepatitis B a curable disease?
One of the most common questions about the hepatitis B virus is whether it is completely curable. Currently, we do not have a medication that can completely cure hepatitis B. Our patients who are hepatitis B carriers do not undergo treatment, as they do not need treatment.
During treatment, getting a positive or negative result in the blood test is very easy. If a patient is given an anti-hepatitis B virus medication for one month, the analysis will show negative anyway after a month. However, if the HBs antigen in the blood is always positive, it indicates that the virus is in the body for life. A negative result in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test should not give you a false sense of relief.
Long-term medication intake without medical supervision can lead to severe complications. In my practice, there was a patient who had been taking interferon-containing and antiviral drugs for seven years. Although he was cleared of hepatitis B and D viruses, his liver tissue had progressed to severe cirrhosis (stage F4). Therefore, the main goal is to conduct treatment while protecting the liver.
Protection against hepatitis B and transmission routes
Vaccination against hepatitis B is available. Although the vaccine can protect a person in 50, 60, or 70 percent of cases, we are all people in the risk group. There is no vaccine against hepatitis C at all.
The hepatitis B and C viruses are not transmitted through the air, objects, shaking hands, meeting, or drinking water from the same glass. These diseases are not transmitted by touch; they are spread only through blood. Factors that increase the risk of transmission include dental procedures, razors used in barbershops, and tattoos. After infection, the entry of the virus into the body can only be determined by taking a blood test three months later, because in most cases the disease shows no symptoms at all.
Determining the condition of the liver
The liver is a complex and painless organ. It can reach the stage of cirrhosis without showing any symptoms. Modern hepatology uses an elastography device to accurately assess the condition of the liver. This device replaces biopsy in detecting and clarifying fibrosis. Through elastography, we can determine the degree of fibrosis and the exact degree of liver steatosis with an accuracy of more than 90 percent. Since the accuracy of this device in differentiating oncological tumors is 50 percent, as a doctor I do not use it for this purpose in my practice.
Elastography examination is a completely painless and bloodless method. During the examination, the patient lies on their back, raising their right arm under their head so that the intercostal spaces open up. Light pressure is applied to the intercostal space with a probe, and rays are emitted, penetrating 4, 4.5, 5 centimeters deep into the liver. During the examination, the patient is asked to hold their breath so that the liver remains still and accurate measurements are taken.
- In individuals with detected hepatitis B, C, D viruses in their blood;
- In patients with diabetes mellitus;
- In patients who have had their gallbladder removed;
- In cases where jaundice is observed;
- In autoimmune hepatitides and primary sclerosing cholangitis;
- In genetic diseases encountered in children and young people, such as Budd-Chiari syndrome and Wilson-Konovalov disease.
The importance of nutrition and diet
Proper nutrition plays a very crucial role in the treatment of liver diseases and the protection of the liver. Patients sometimes break the diet when they feel a temporary improvement, which causes the condition to worsen again. To protect the liver, the following rules must be followed:
- Stay away from fast food;
- Exclude fried, salty, and spicy foods from the diet;
- Avoid garlic and onions (although garlic is healthy for healthy people, it is not allowed for patients with liver problems).
Nutritional supplements and herbal remedies must not be used without medical supervision. Such preparations can block the phospholipid layer on top of the liver, causing a further increase in blood bilirubin and a toxic effect.