HEPATITIS – B VIRUS

HEPAR – liver, ITIS – inflammation

Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver cell caused by virus. Union ministry of health and family  welfare in collaboration with WHO launched National Viral Hepatitis Control Day on July 28 on the birth of professor Baruch Blumbery who discovered Hepatitis B virus. Recent information from 8th official global public health of WHO says Hepatitis affect hundreds of millions of people and kill nearly 1.4 million every year. 325 million people are living with Hepatitis B&C virus, 2850,000 peoples are newly infected with Hepatitis during 2017. But still 80% of the people are living with Hepatitis in the world without any treatment, testing and prevention. India is committed to eliminate viral Hepatitis by 2030 with an annual investment of about 6 billion.

Hepatitis is not only caused by virus but also results by the use of excess drugs, alcohol, due to autoimmune infection when our body produces antibodies against our own liver tissues which damages the liver. Hepatitis are of five types based on the virus which it causes. They are;

 

Hepatitis – A		Short term illness		By contaminated food & water
Hepatitis – B		Chronic infection		By sexual contact
Hepatitis – C		Chronic infection		By sex, blood & drug transfer
Hepatitis – D		Chronic infection		Infected blood & drug
Hepatitis – E		Acute infection		Poor sanitation

 

Viruses are easily transmitted from one person to another through sexual contact, contaminated blood, medical equipments. So Hepatitis was transmitted all over the world very fast.

Symptoms of viral Hepatitis

 

Fatigue		Lack of energy
Flue like symptoms		Fever, body aches
Dark urine		Brown colour
Pale stool		Clay coloured
Abdominal Pain		Pain of abdomen
Weight loss		Decrease in weight
Yellow skin		Due to jaundice
Yellow eyes		Due to jaundice
Loss of appetite		Lack of hunger
Nausea		Vomiting sensation

Diagnosis of Hepatitis

 

Blood test		Detected by antigen antibody reaction
Nucleic acid test		Conformation for Hepatitis B & C
Liver biopsy		Detect the amount of liver damaged
Paracentesis		Detect the amount of fluid in the liver
Elastography		To detect liver stiffness
Surrogate marke		Detect the growth of fibrosis in liver

Treatment for Hepatitis

Hepatitis – A

• Cureable
• Hepatitis A vaccine
• Bed rest

Hepatitis – B

• Chronic
• Antiviral mediator vaccination

Hepatitis – C

• Chronic
• Antiviral drug therapy
• No vaccination

Hepatitis – D

• Hepatitis B Vaccine
• Drug alpha interferon

Hepatitis – E

• Acute
• Rest
• Drink plenty of fluid
• Avoid alcohol, drugs
• Will cure by its own

 

Complications of Hepatitis

• Chronic liver diseases
• Cirrhosis
• Liver cancer
• Ascites
• Kidney failure
• Hypertension
• Hepatic encephalopathy

Prevention of Hepatitis

• Maintain good and hygienic environment
• Avoid local, ice waters, uncooked shellfish/ oyster, raw vegetables
• Do not share drugs, needles, toothbrush, razors etc
• Safe sex using condoms and dental dams
• Use vaccines like  Hepatitis A,B,C,D&E.