Hep B

Dear Dr.
i lost my previous thread when i came back from my wedding vacation, please try to answer my following questions.
i am newly married (one week ago) and my wife was diagonised with chronic Hep B during the wedding blood test.
the ALT and AST came back normal, and the PCR test will come back next week, at least now we know that she has it so we can take care of her and treat her if needed.

Dr. my wonderings are:
1- what are the options now for us ? normal life ? half life ? cirrhosis and cancer ? none of those ? please if you can state the options for us.
2- if treatment is needed, for how long ? injectioins or capsules ?
3- for the cirrhosis to develop, now she has a normal ALT, can the ALT jump suddenly in week or a month and develop cirrhosis ?
4- what are the options when someone develops cirrhosis ?
5- should we live our lives worried and depressed ? can we make babies ?

Please Dr. Thomas if you can answer my above

Best Regards
Antonio

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

the most important thing is to see if the viral level is (+) or (-).  if it is (-) then she doesn't require treatment.  if you have never been exposed to HBV you should receive the vaccination series. If she is HBV-DNA (+) then she almost definitely will require treatment.  either way she should have an imaging study of thye liver to make sure there is no cirrhosis and no liver cancer.  you both can definitely lead normal lives and there should be no transmission risk to the unborn if she is appropriately prophylaxed.