Treatment and Prevention
There are vaccines against both hepatitis A and B. They provide about 90% protection, and last for at least 3 years and possibly longer. Anyone who handles blood or its products should be vaccinated. Whether you're immunized or not, the best protection is to be careful in choosing sexual partners.
Pregnant women are routinely screened for hepatitis B. If it's found, they're given an immunoglobulin, a preparation made from the immune blood of someone who was previously infected. The baby is given the same treatment at birth. The purpose is to protect the baby from infection with hepatitis B.
Medications such as lamivudine,* interferon alfa-2a, and interferon alfa-2b can be used to treat some people with chronic hepatitis B. These medications do not cure the condition or stop it from being passed on to others, but may reduce virus levels and activity, which can help reduce the signs of liver damage.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.