Evaluation of Acute Hepatitis B Patients Epidemiologically and Clinically

Abstract

Objectives: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that can cause acute and chronic hepatitis, liver failure, and liver cancer. It is a widespread public health problem that can be prevented by vaccination. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of patients with acute hepatitis B who were hospitalized in our clinic. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three patients diagnosed with acute hepatitis B who were hospitalized and followed up in the infectious disease service between 2021 and 2023 were included in the study. Our study was designed as a retrospective cohort study. Results: The patients had an average age of 51.3 +/- 12.6 years, with 21 (91.3%) being male. Twelve (52.1%) of 23 patients had chronic diseases, which prolonged hospital stays. All patients involved in the study were not vaccinated for HBV. An examination of the transmission routes showed that 3 (13%) patients were infected through intravenous drug use or tattooing, 6 (36%) through dental procedures, and 14 (61%) through sexual contact. Patients who contracted the virus sexually stayed longer in the hospital. Antiviral treatment was started in 7 out of 23 patients (30.4%) because of international normalized ratio elevation (above 1.5) during hospitalization. One patient was referred to a liver transplantation clinic. Other patients were recovered and discharged. All 14 patients who regularly attended outpatient follow-ups had negative hepatitis B surface antigen. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that acute HBV infection continues to be observed in individuals over 50 years of age who were not routinely vaccinated in our country. The findings underscore the importance of adult vaccination and the implementation of methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections.