Hepatitis B
Most Wanted Virus
What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a spherical virus that affects the liver.Contracting HBV can cause cirrhosis of the liver, jaundice ,nausea and vomiting, and joint pain.
The Origins of Hepatitis B
Paleontologists have discovered HBV in prehistoric bird genomes, dating the origin 63 million years than what was first predicted.
How you get infected
An organism can get infected with Hepatitis B (HBV) when they...
- Share needles (used for injecting drugs) with an infected person.
- Get a tattoo or piercing with tools that weren't sterilized.
- Share personal items like razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.
Targets
Most newborn children get Hepatitis B during birth from their parents. Native Africans have the highest number of cases reported.
Symptoms of Hepatitis B
Symptoms of hepatitis B may include:
- Abdominal pain
- Dark urine
- Fever
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness and fatigue
- Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
Treatment/Prevention
Hepatitis B can be treated by antiviral medications or a liver transplant. Some prevention techniques that you can do is to make sure that a tattoo needle or a syringe is cleaned properly before use, ask your sexual partner, and get a vaccination.
David Bilotta
Flores-4
January 9, 2015
Biology I