Chronic Hepatitis B
Chronic hepatitis B is a persistent infection of the liver by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Unlike the acute form, which the body clears within months, chronic hepatitis B lasts more than six months and often for life.
Epivir HBV
100mg
Lamivudine 100mg film-coated tablets, the hepatitis B strength, used in the management of chronic hepatitis B. It inhibits the viral reverse transcriptase.
Key points
- Significant liver scarring can already be present by the time fatigue or jaundice first appear, since symptoms are often silent for years.
- Passing the virus from mother to child at birth is a common route of transmission, which makes routine blood testing important.
- Entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil are the two internationally preferred first-line drugs, suppressing the virus well while carrying a low resistance risk.
- Six-monthly ultrasound surveillance is standard for anyone with cirrhosis or other risk factors for liver cancer.
Why it often goes undetected
Most people with chronic hepatitis B have no obvious symptoms for years or even decades. The liver is damaged gradually, and by the time fatigue, jaundice, or abdominal discomfort appear, significant scarring (fibrosis) may already be present. This long silent phase is why routine blood screening matters, since mother-to-child transmission at birth remains a common route of infection.
How antiviral therapy limits liver damage
Treatment does not eliminate the virus but suppresses it to very low levels, slowing fibrosis progression and sharply reducing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Medicines from the antivirals category work by blocking HBV replication. Entecavir and tenofovir disoproxil are the two first-line agents recommended internationally; both achieve strong viral suppression with a low risk of resistance. Lamivudine, an older nucleoside analogue also used in HIV management, was historically the first oral agent for HBV and is still used in some settings.
Monitoring and long-term care
People on antiviral therapy require regular liver function tests and HBV DNA measurement to confirm that the virus remains suppressed. Ultrasound surveillance every six months is standard for those with cirrhosis or other liver cancer risk factors. Lifestyle measures, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and vaccination of close contacts, complement medical treatment.