Goals of treatment The goal of treatment for hepatitis is to eliminate the virus from your body early in order to prevent its progression to serious, end-stage liver disease. However, not all hepatitis patients need to be treated. In hepatitis A and about 90 percent of cases of hepatitis B, the body will fight off the disease on its own. See "Questions to Ask Your Doctor" Treating hepatitis A Most infections with hepatitis A are acute. This means that the infection lasts for less than 6 months and your body is strong enough to rid your system of the virus without the help of medical treatment. Sometimes doctors prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms you may have, such as headache and nausea, and provide intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. Most patients recover at home. A common recommendation is to avoid alcohol, which, as a toxic substance, can weaken an already damaged liver. A vaccine is available for the prevention of hepatitis A. It is recommended for people who come into contact with an infected person, and for those traveling to a locale with a high incidence of hepatitis A or unsanitary conditions that make its presence possible or likely. Treating hepatitis B About 1.2 million people in the United States have hepatitis B, a disease more common and much more contagious than AIDS. Fortunately, most adults can fight off a hepatitis B infection without treatment. However, in about 10 percent of cases, the disease develops into its chronic form. In the chronic form, hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure. Interferon Interferon is a protein made naturally by your body to boost your immune system and to regulate other cell functions. A manufactured form of interferon is used to treat hepatitis B. This treatment involves taking interferon by injection for about 4 months. Not all patients respond to interferon, and sometimes re-treatment is necessary. Clinical studies have indicated that interferon cures hepatitis B in almost half of treated hepatitis patients. Even if interferon treatment does not eliminate all of the hepatitis virus, in many patients it reduces the amount of hepatitis virus in your system and leads to improvement in liver function and overall health. A vaccine is available for individuals who are routinely exposed to blood in their work or who live with a person who is infected with hepatitis B. See "INTRON® A Therapy" See "Questions to Ask Your Doctor" Alternative therapies Some people with hepatitis B have benefited from homeopathy, herbs, vitamins, acupuncture, or special diets. You may want to learn more about these alternative therapies, but it is best to talk to your doctor before you take anything other than what your doctor has recommended or prescribed. Treating hepatitis C Hepatitis C is the most serious form of hepatitis. It develops into a chronic form in about half of infected patients. If left untreated, patients are placed at high risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. Liver failure due to hepatitis C is now the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. If you have been infected with hepatitis C for 6 months or more, your doctor may initiate medical treatment to avoid the possibility of permanent liver damage. Interferon Interferon is a protein made naturally by your body to boost your immune system and to regulate other cell functions. A manufactured form of interferon is used to treat hepatitis C as well as hepatitis B. Generally, the recommended length of treatment for hepatitis C is at least 1 year and can be as long as 24 months. This treatment doesn't eliminate the virus in all hepatitis C patients. Sometimes re-treatment is necessary. But many patients experience great improvement in the health and functioning of their liver, even if all of the virus has not been eliminated. See "INTRON® A Therapy" See "Questions to Ask Your Doctor" Combination therapy REBETRONTM Combination Therapy containing REBETOL® (Ribavirin, USP) Capsules and INTRON® A (Interferon alfa-2b, recombinant) Injection is a new approach to treating chronic hepatitis C. It recently received approval from the FDA in patients who had failed interferon monotherapy. Combination therapy was studied in patients who had relapsed after treatment with interferon alone. Clinical studies showed that REBETRON Combination Therapy resulted in a significant increase in the number of patients showing sustained loss of detectable hepatitis C virus as compared to patients receiving INTRON® A alone. See "Questions to Ask Your Doctor" See "Combination Therapy" See "Important Safety Information"