Hepatitis b

Hepatitis ‘B
Hepatitis B is Virus (HBV).This virus belongs to the family hepadnaviridac. HB Virus is resistant to environmental condition that inactivates most viruses and bacteria. It survives 60 C for 4 hours, storage at room temperature for 6 months and at -10 to -20C for 4 and one half years. The virus is inactivated when exposed to 60 C for 10 hrs. Its is resistant to phenol and ether but sensitive to chlorine, 10,000 ppm, and is inactivated in 10 months.

Symptoms:

The Symptoms of Hepatitis B is variable. As the first antivirus antibodies are formed there many be a brief, prodromal illness with rash and arthralgia . In a cute hepatitis B the gradual onset of fatigue, anorexia, nausea pain and fullness in the right upper abdominal quadrant occur. Occasionally frank arthritis may occur.  With increasing damage of liver , there is increasing cholestatis and hence clay coloured stools, darkening of the urine and jaundice. This symptoms many remain for several months. It is difficult to differentiate between  hepatitis A and B there is less likely to be fever and headache with HBV infection. And the symptoms associated with hepatitis B are more severe and prolonged. In 90% acute hepatitis B cases the disease ends in complete recovery the mortality rate is much higher than hepatitis A.
 patient with chronic active hepatitis show the active form of disease. jaundice may present . liver biopsy reveals liver cell necrosis. Progressive cirrhosis leads to liver failure and then hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of cancer in areas where hepatitis B is extremely common. The case of Hep. B is considered chronic if HBS Ag persists for more than 6 months. The blood of such person remain infectious, often for life , and although continuing liver damage can cause chronic hepatitis , the damage is often so slight that the carrier remains in good health condition.

How  Hepatitis B Is Transmitted? :
Close contact with infected secretions or blood of acute cases of disease or of chronic carriers of the virus is a principal source of transmission

HB Virus can spread by any secretion  of body fluid such as saliva , semen, breast milk and cervical secretions. Because HBS. Antigen has been found in most body fluids.
Transmission is very common between intravenous drug abusers or male homosexuals.
HBs Ag – positive mothers may transmit HBV to their neonates at the time of birth.
Transmission is also possible by inadequately sterilized hypodermic needles or instruments use in tattooing ear piercing and acupuncture.
Blood sucking arthropods don't appear to be important.
Prevention:
Hepatitis B may be prevented by either passive or active immunization.

Passive Immunization:
Hep B immunoglobulin found useful for providing passive immunity if administered before or shortly after explosive to HBV.
       HB immunoglobulin ideally should be injected immediately after birth to all babies born after infected mother or in endemic areas.
              They should receive immunoglobulin in the delivery room followed by Hep.B vaccine at 24hrs,1st month and 6th  month after birth.

Active Immunization:
More recently, hepatitis B vaccine has been produced by recombinant DNA technology, using antigen expressed in yeast