The rest progress to chronic infection. In very rare instances, liver damage in the early stages may be severe enough to be life threatening. Patients with chronic hepatitis B may have no symptoms or they may experience fatigue, nausea and mild discomfort over the right abdomen. Blood tests will show increased liver enzyme levels. Any person with chronic hepatitis B infection should have their immediate family members and sex partners screened for infection.
Vaccination is recommended to help prevent the further spread of infection.
Vaccination is also recommended for all newborns, health care workers, dialysis patients, intraveneous drug users and for the sexually promiscuous. Personal items that may be contaminated with blood such as razors and tooth brushes should not be shared. Condoms should be used unless the sex partners have been immunized. Patients with chronic hepatitis B should avoid using alcohol, as it may make the liver damage worse. Chronic hepatitis B may result in severe destruction and scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis and an increased risk of developing primary liver cancer .