HepatitisB

HepatitisB

HepatitisB is a viral disease caused by hepadna virus or hepatitisB virus which chiefly affects the liver which is one of the vital organs of our body. The virus causes inflammation or swelling of liver called hepatitis. About one-third of the global population have been infected by this virus.

Pathology and Symptoms:

Hepatitis B can be divided into acute and chronic based upon the rapidity of onset and severity of the disease. Acute hepatitisB is characterised by liver inflammation, jaundice, vomitings and rarely death. Whereas chronic hepatitisB leads to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer which may be fatal.

Symtoms of Acute hepatitisB:

1. General weakness

2. Nausea and vomitings

3. Body aches

4. Loss of appetite(hunger)

5. Mild fever

6. Skin itching

7. Dark colorationof urine

8. Icterus or jaundice

Chronic illness of hepatitis B infection may either pass asymptomatically i.e the patient cannot experience any symptoms or it may be associated with chronic inflammation of liver, liver cirrhosis and even liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma.

How to confirm whether you have hepatitisB:

The confirmation for hepatitis is done by blood tests which are called assays. The viral antigens or proteins are detected by the blood tests. If the blood sample is positive for the hepatitisB viral antigens, then the disease can be confirmed.

Modes of transmission of the virus:

1. Sexual contact including homosexuals

2. Intravenous drug abusers

3. Transmission from infected mother to child

4. Blood transfusion

5. Acupuncturing, body piercing, tatooing.

Treatment:

There is no proper treatment for hepatitisB and till today there are no drugs which completely eradicate the hepadna virus from the patients body. However the drugs which stop the multiplication of the viral population inside our body are in use nowadays. Antiviral drugs such as lamevudine, adefovir are used commonly to treat hepatitisB.

Prevention:

The only perfect way to prevent the hepatitis infection is vaccination. The vaccine is given in distributed doses called booster doses. These vaccines are prepared from the antigens of virus itself. This vaccine develops antibodies against the viral antigens and hence prevents the advent and multiplication of the virus into our body.

The other ways of prevention include:

1. Safe sex by using condoms

2. Sharing sterilised needles or avoid sharing needles

3. Checking the purity of blood before transfusion

4. Avoid acupuncturing, tatooing and body piercing