Sexual contact with a person infected with hepatitis B should be avoided unless you have been immunized or have previously had hepatitis B. Always practice safer sex behaviors . Condoms can reduce or eliminate the spread of hepatitis B when used consistently and properly. If you are unimmunized and unsure of the status of a potential sexual partner, a condom should always be worn. Infants born of mothers who are hepatitis B positive receive a special immunization series to prevent them from becoming infected. This includes hepatitis B immune globulin, a hepatitis immunization immediately after birth, and a repeat hepatitis immunization several weeks later.
Rest is recommended during the acute phase of the disease when the symptoms are most severe.
Some people with chronic hepatitis may respond to alpha-interferon therapy. See liver disease - support group . The acute illness usually subsides after 2 to 3 weeks, and the liver returns to normal within 16 weeks. There is a higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in those who have had hepatitis B virus infection than in the general population. Call your health care provider if symptoms of hepatitis B develop.