Hepatitis B is an
infectious disease caused by the
hepatitis B virus (HBV) which affects the
liver. It can cause both acute and
chronic infections. Many people have no symptoms during the initial infection. Some develop a rapid onset of sickness with vomiting,
yellowish skin,
feeling tired, dark urine and
abdominal pain. Often these symptoms last a few weeks and rarely does the initial infection result in death. It may take 30 to 180 days for symptoms to begin. In those who get infected around the time of birth 90
evelop chronic while less than 10% of those infected after the age of five do. Most of those with chronic disease have no symptoms; however,
cirrhosis and
liver cancer may eventually develop. These complications result in the death of 15 to 25% of those with chronic disease.