HEPATITIS B

Hepatitis B is a variation of the hepatitis virus which are a group of viruses that cause Hepatitis which are diseases that attack the liver. HBV usually will cause acute or chronic infections.

WHO GETS IT

• Common Age Range: 19-60 years
• 800,000-1.4 million infected in the U.S
• Has a major prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa
• 5-10% of adults are chronically infected

TRANSMISSION

• Unprotected Vaginal, Anal or Oral Sex
• Blood Products- Unsterile needles and unscreened blood
• Mother to baby pregnancy

SYMPTOMS

• Abdominal Pain
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Itching

SYMPTOMS

• Yellowing Eyes
• Yellow Skin
• Dark Urine
• Webs of swollen blood vessels
• Abdominal Fluid
• Vomiting

PROGNOSIS

• Usually stays in an adult for around 1-3 months(acute infection)
• 1 in 20 adults will have a chronic infection for 6 months or even longer(chronic infection)
• Causes liver damage
• Never fully goes away but the infection usually never re-occurs or does anymore damage

COMPLICATIONS

• Over time, HBV can scar the liver, causing cirrhosis
• Major increase in the chances of developing liver cancers

TREATMENTS/MANAGEMENTS

• Acute Often Clears up on its own
• Chronic may require drugs such as Interferon
• Chronic may even require a liver transplant
• Avoiding any alcohol

PREVENTION

• The condition is not curable
• However, there does exist important intramuscular vaccines administered 1 to 6 months after the first to prevent its contraction

SOURCES

• CDC.gov
• Healthline.com
• Mayo Clinic.com
• WebMD.com