WANTED: Hepatitis B
Pathogen: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
Mrs. Salemme
Honors Biology
17 March 2016
MUG SHOT
42 nm long
27 nm nucleocapsid core
Lipoprotein coat containing the surface antigen (HBsAg)
- Contains partially double-stranded DNA
ATTACKS
- The hepatitis B virus targets liver cells
- The virus can be transmitted sexually, perinatally, or through the sharing of drug-injection equipment
- The virus can cause both acute and chronic disease
VICTIMS
- Victims mainly consist of humans ages 25 to 44
- Individuals who have more than one sex partner, illegally inject drugs, and men who have intercourse with men are more likely to be diagnosed with HBV
An estimated 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B
20% to 30% of adults who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis and/or liver cancer
80–90% of infants infected during their first year develop chronic infections
30–50% of children infected before the age of 6 years develop chronic infections
CRIME
- Symptoms may include abdominal pain, dark urine, fever, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weakness and fatigue, and the yellowing of skin and whites of eyes
The virus attacks liver cells which causes inflammation within the liver
- This can lead to cirrhosis, fibrosis, liver cancer or liver failure
- HBV is 100 times more infectious than the AIDs virus
JAUNDICE
JAUNDICE
CIRRHOSIS
HIDE OUT
- The hepatitis B virus is found in liver cells
- The virus is most common in sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, the Amazon Rainforest, and in certain parts of eastern and central Europe
- The virus is also quite common in the United States
WEAPONS
More than 780,000 people die every year due to complications of hepatitis B
HBV has a low mortality rate of about 0.7%
There is currently a safe and available vaccine for hepatitis B
The vaccine is effective 95% of the time
An acute hepatitis B infection normally clears up on its own through active immunity
Hepatitis B can also be prevented by using protection during sex and checking with those around you if they have been tested
Unfortunately, there is no cure for those with chronic hepatitis B except for having a liver transplant