Introduction:
Of all the viruses that have devastated humanity throughout history, hepatitis is considered the most dangerous and brutal virus after AIDS. This is fatal, because over the years it can be asymptomatic and become chronic. Hepatitis is a family of viruses that infect the liver and, in advanced stages, lead to liver cancer, making it life-threatening. Hepatitis infections can be both acute and chronic. Hepatitis B is a virus in the hepatitis family that affects the liver and eventually leads to cancer. According to the WHO, HBV transmission has not declined since the lack of vaccination in the 2000s.
Symptoms:
Many cases are asymptomatic when first infected with HBV. Some people may develop a simple medical condition with the following symptoms.
- Jaundice causing yellowing of the skin and eyes.
- Dark urine
- Extreme tiredness
- nausea
- Vomiting and pain in the liver area
- Small chance of liver failure leading to death
Transmission of infection:
The following are the most common and known transmission routes that cause disease in uninfected people.
An infected mother to her child remains the most common route of transmission of the virus (perinatal transmission).
Contact with blood of patients is the second most common type of transmission in children.
- Needle injury
- tattoo
- Ear piercing
Exposure to body fluids such as vaginal, menstrual, salivary, and seminal fluids
Sexual transmission through homosexual sex is more common, as is the case among people who have sex with multiple partners and sex workers.
Incubation period:
The survival time of the virus is 7 days. The virus remains active all this time and can infect those who come into contact with it. The average incubation period is 75 days and ranges from 30 to 180 days. It can be detected within 30-60 days of the initial infection.
Diagnosis:
It is clinically impossible to distinguish hepatitis B from other viruses in the hepatitis family. You will need to have a lab test on a blood sample. Several blood tests can be done to differentiate between chronic and acute stages of the hepatitis B virus. A blood sample is tested for the presence of HBsAg surface antigen from hepatitis B. Acute infections show the presence of HBsAg and antibodies against HBcAg antigen. The presence of HBeAg indicates the rate at which the virus is multiplying in the body. A person with high HBeAg levels is highly contagious. The presence of HBsAg antigen for more than six months indicates that the disease is chronic. The HBsAg antigen is the leading cause of liver cancer.
Treatment:
Acute infections are not treated. Acute infections can be cured with proper nutrition and care. Unnecessary antiemetic drugs such as acetaminophen and paracetamol should be avoided. You need to take in more fluids to replace fluid loss.


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