Hepatitis B: symptoms, causes & treatment in Nigeria
Also known as Hep B, HBV.
This page is general health information, not a diagnosis. Always consult a licensed clinician about your own health.
Overview
Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver that is common in Nigeria and often silent for decades while it slowly damages the liver, sometimes leading to cirrhosis or liver cancer. It spreads through blood, unprotected sex and from mother to baby at birth. A safe vaccine and a simple blood test make it preventable and detectable.
Symptoms
Often no symptoms for years
Tiredness
Yellow eyes or skin (jaundice)
Dark urine
Nausea and poor appetite
Pain over the liver (right upper abdomen)
Swollen abdomen or legs in advanced disease
Causes & risk factors
Mother-to-child transmission at birth
Unprotected sex with an infected person
Sharing needles, blades, clippers or other sharp objects
Unscreened blood transfusion
Treatment & self-care
Everyone should know their status — screening is a quick blood test. Chronic carriers need periodic liver checks, and those with active disease take long-term antiviral tablets prescribed by a specialist to protect the liver. Vaccination (including the birth dose for newborns) protects the uninfected; avoid alcohol and unsupervised herbal mixtures that strain the liver.
See a doctor urgently if
A positive hepatitis B test, even if you feel well
Yellow eyes, dark urine or right upper abdominal pain
Swelling of the abdomen or legs
Vomiting blood or passing black stools
You are pregnant and have never been screened
Frequently asked questions
What are the first signs of Hepatitis B?
Early signs often include often no symptoms for years, tiredness, yellow eyes or skin (jaundice). Symptoms vary from person to person, so a proper assessment by a doctor is the only way to be sure.
Can Hepatitis B be treated?
Everyone should know their status — screening is a quick blood test. Chronic carriers need periodic liver checks, and those with active disease take long-term antiviral tablets prescribed by a specialist to protect the liver. Vaccination (including the birth dose for newborns) protects the uninfected; avoid alcohol and unsupervised herbal mixtures that strain the liver.
When should I see a doctor about Hepatitis B?
See a doctor promptly if you notice: a positive hepatitis b test, even if you feel well; yellow eyes, dark urine or right upper abdominal pain; swelling of the abdomen or legs; vomiting blood or passing black stools; you are pregnant and have never been screened.