Hepatitis B (1)

Hepatitis B

Many of us have heard of Hepatitis B, as it is a common disease that is not without your knowledge of this disease. So, you may be curious to know everything about Hepatitis B, and here you will find what you want from definition to treatment.

What is hepatitis B?

It is a hepatitis B virus (HBV) that caused the liver infection. HBV is transmitted when a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected by blood, semen, or another body fluid. This can occur by sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or at birth from mother to infant. Hepatitis B is a short-term disease for some people but for others, it becomes a chronic infection that leads to liver failure, liver cancer, or even cirrhosis, a condition in which the liver has a permanent scar.

At-risk groups

• A group of people who inject themselves intravenously with drugs, and share the same needle with others.
• People who have unprotected intercourse with an infected adult.
• People born in places around the world where the hepatitis B virus is widespread.
• Who frequently travel to such areas.
• HIV-positive women can be transmitted to their neonates during childbirth.
• Most people who become infected with and are adults with the hepatitis B virus recover entirely from it, even in cases where the signs and symptoms are severe and serious. Children and infants have a greater chance of developing chronic and permanent pollution.

Signs of hepatitis B.

As for some adults, most children and babies for viral hepatitis B have no signs or symptoms of the disease at all. Symptoms and signs typically occur about 12 weeks after infection, and may often be moderate, extreme, or otherwise extreme. Symptoms include some, or all, of the following signs:

• Anorexia
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• Abdominal pain, especially in the liver
• Yellowing of skin tone and white eyes (Jaundice)
• Dark-colored urine

Hepatitis B causes damage to the liver and is transmitted to others even if there are no signs or symptoms at all. Therefore, if suspected of contracting the hepatitis B virus, or belonging to a risk group, it is very important to undergo the tests needed.

Complications of hepatitis B virus

Eventually, serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatic cancer may occur. These diseases may also develop in children and infants with viral hepatitis B upon puberty. Infection with viral hepatitis B will increase the risk of acute hepatic failure, a condition in which the liver is unable to do all of its functions. In such a case it takes a liver transplant to save the life of the patient.

In addition, people with this virus are usually more susceptible to another type of hepatitis, the type "D," previously known as the "delta virus." Hepatitis D virus needs the hepatitis B virus as an outer cover for cell contamination

Hepatitis B treatment

Hepatitis B is not healed but there is a vaccine that may prevent infection. People infected with this virus should take all necessary precautions to avoid passing the infection on to others.

Having an immunoglobulin injection into the hepatitis B virus within 24 hours of the virus's exposure will avoid hepatitis B virus infection. Doctors use five types of medications to treat Hepatitis B:

• Interferon
• Telbivudine
• Lamivudine (Epivir)
• Entecavir
• Adefovir (Hepsera).

References

Apps.who.int. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB126/B126_R16-en.pdf> [Accessed 20 June 2020].

Msu.edu. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://msu.edu/~ferrervl/AASLD/assets/ChronicHepB.pdf> [Accessed 20 June 2020].

Doi.org. 2020. Redirecting. [online] Available at: <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gtc.2006.10.002> [Accessed 20 June 2020].