Wanted: Hepatitis B
By: Courtney Lombardo
What is Hepatitis B?
How Hepatits B spreads and affects populations
Hepatitis B infection can be spread through having contact with the blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and other body fluids of someone who already has a hepatitis B infection.
Infection can be spread through:
Blood transfusions (not common in the United States)
Direct contact with blood in health care settings
Sexual contact with an infected person
Tattoo or acupuncture with unclean needles or instruments
Shared needles during drug use
Shared personal items (such as toothbrushes, razors, and nail clippers) with an infected person
Hepatitis B
This shows the swelling of the liver and the gallbladder.
Hepatitis
This shows the swelling of the liver.
Hepatitis
Aggressive Hepatitis causes swelling in the liver.
Most common victims to prey upon.
Where Hepatitis B id most likley to be found.
The most common injury done to the victim.
Is Hepatitis B dangerous?
Treatments
Acute hepatitis needs no treatment other than careful monitoring of liver and other body functions with blood tests. You should get plenty of bed rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy foods.
In the rare case that you develop liver failure, you may need a liver transplant. A liver transplant is the only cure in some cases of liver failure.
Some patients with chronic hepatitis may be treated with antiviral medications or a medication called peginterferon. These medications can decrease or remove hepatitis B from the blood and reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Liver transplantation is used to treat severe, chronic hepatitis B liver disease.
Patients with chronic hepatitis should avoid alcohol and should always check with their doctor or nurse before taking any over-the-counter medications or herbal supplements. This even includes medications such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen.
5 Intresting Facts
1. The hepatitis B virus can be passed to an infant during childbirth if the mother is infected.
Risk factors for hepatitis B infection include:
Being born, or having parents who were born in regions with high infection rates (including Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean)
Being infected with HIV
Being on hemodialysis
- And others
3. If you have chronic hepatitis B, you should do things to take care of yourself, including eating a healthy diet. Avoid drinking alcohol, which can harm the liver. Talk with your doctor before taking vitamins and other supplements.
4. You could get hepatitis B through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluid.
5. Anybody can get hepatitis b, but some people are more likely than others.
6. As many as 1 in every 10 Fillipinos have hepatitis B but they do not know it, because the disease is often asymptomatic- which means it shows no symptoms until the live is affected.