HBV vaccination
All infants and young children should receive a hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination at the age of two, three, four months and at the age of eleven to fourteen months in accordance with the vaccination guideline of the “Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuß (G-BA).
Vaccination against hepatitis B (HBV) according to the vaccination guidelines of the G-BA is also recommended for those with particular health risks, including:
- Those in contact with people with chronic HBV in the family/living community
- Those at risk of contact with people with chronic HBV in their community (kindergartens, children's homes, nursing homes, school classes, play communities).
- Those who engage in sexual contact with people with chronic HBV
- Those suffering with drug addiction
- Those serving terms of imprisonment
Important stages from diagnosis to therapy
It is difficult to distinguish the symptoms of acute viral hepatitis D from another form of acute hepatitis.
If you have not been vaccinated against hepatitis B (HBV) and are at risk of contracting HBV or HDV , see your doctor for clarification and guidance. If you knowingly become acutely infected with hepatitis B (HBV), there is the possibility of post-exposure prophylaxis, which must be initiated within forty-eight hours
To find out whether you have contracted HBV or HDV, your blood will be tested in a laboratory.
If a HBV infection is confirmed, testing for hepatitis delta (HDV) should then take place immediately. Additionally, you should receive a referral to a liver specialist (hepato-gastroenterologist).
A hepatologist is a medicalspecialists for liver disease who will examine you in the hospital or in a doctor's office.
A HDV test should generally be performed in patients infected with HBV. More liver-specific tests can be done in the hospital.
Based on the results of the additional tests, your hepatologist, supported by a multidisciplinary medical team, will recommend and prescribe an appropriate HBV/HDV treatment.
Depending on the type of treatment prescribed, you will receive this directly at the hospital or you can obtain the medication from a pharmacy.
It is important to take your medication as directed and to read the patient information leaflets carefully.
Your hepatologist will monitor your treatment to check its effectiveness, as well as monitor the progression of the disease to detect any complications or signs of worsening.
Be assured that you are not alone on this journey or in dealing with this disease. It is very important to have someone to talk to. This can be a friend or family member. A patient organisation can also be a helpful contact point.