Hepatitis B, Symptoms and Treatment

healthcareremedies
Jul 21, 2017 · 3 min read

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is the major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The virus is found in blood and body fluids and is transmitted through semen and access to the mucous membranes of an uninfected individual to the blood. HBV is a major public health problem, with an annual mortality rate similar to that of malaria (malaria).

For most people, acute hepatitis B is a short-term disease that causes no permanent damage in 95% of cases. For others (5%), it can become a chronic incurable infection that can potentially cause liver cancer.

HBV infection can be prevented with vaccination (3 doses), and chronic infection can be successfully treated with antiviral medicines for life.

WHAT IS HEPATITIS B?

Hepatitis B is a virus that can infect and inflame the liver. It is a DNA virus that integrates into the chromosomes (genome) of an individual. HBV is particularly dangerous because it can infect people without giving symptoms, and, in turn, infected people may unknowingly transmit the virus to other people. Some people remain chronically infected with the virus beyond the period of infection initial. For those who become chronically infected, the virus remains in the liver, causing potentially irreversible damage.

HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?

The hepatitis B virus is transmitted in the body fluid of individuals with the infection, through the blood, semen or other body fluid of an infected person, the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected, and Either through a puncture in the skin, a shared needle or the exchange of body fluids. This can occur through the mother to the baby during childbirth in 99% of mothers infected with high viral load, sex with a partner Infected, sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment, unsafe tattoo techniques or even sharing personal hygiene items such as razors or toothbrushes. Dangerous medical practices, such as the reuse of medical equipment,

WHAT ARE YOUR SYMPTOMS?

Symptoms of hepatitis in the acute phase are similar for all hepatitis: General malaise, tiredness, weakness, headache, fever, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, symptoms preceding yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine and Stool color lighter Most acute HBV infections occur during infancy or childhood and are rarely diagnosed because of the lack of obvious symptoms in countries with high or intermediate prevalence. The average exposure time to onset of symptoms is 90 days after exposure to the virus.

TESTS AND DIAGNOSIS OF HEPATITIS B

A blood test is available for both diagnoses of acute and chronic HBV infection.

POPULATIONS AT RISK TO CONTAIN HBV THAT SHOULD BE EXAMINED.

The following groups should be screened for hepatitis B:

  • Babies born to mothers with HBV
  • Sex partners of infected people
  • Sexually active people who are not on a long-term, mutually monogamous
  • Men who have sex with men
  • Injectable drug users
  • Family contacts of people with chronic HBV infection
  • Health and public safety workers at risk of exposure to blood or body fluids contaminated with blood
  • Patients on hemodialysis
  • All patients who will receive chemotherapy for cancer.

In addition, it is vital that all pregnant women undergo laboratory tests to rule out hepatitis B; If it is positive, it is essential that the mother go to the liver specialist, to determine the amount of virus in her blood (viral load), the baby is vaccinated against HBV within 12 hours after birth and Put the baby hyper immune gamma globulin to the child at birth.

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