The 4 Causes of Hepatitis B Transmission
The treatment of Hepatitis B exists, but it is quite dangerous, it requires a lot of health care so that it does not affect the liver , after all, every substance that reaches our body must pass through the organ that serves as a filter, when it is weakened, not all medications that can be administered. Prevention and vaccination is still the most effective way against the disease .
Main Symptoms of Hepatitis B: In general, the main symptoms of acute HBV infection are similar to those of Hepatitis A: nausea, vomiting, malaise, fever , fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, dark urine, pale stools , jaundice (yellowish color of the skin and conjunctivae).
Acute Hepatitis B can go unnoticed because the disease is either asymptomatic or the symptoms do not attract attention. Another particularity is that most patients eliminate the virus and progress to a definitive cure. In less than 5% of cases, however, HBV persists in the body and the disease becomes chronic.
Chronic Hepatitis B can also progress without showing any noticeable symptoms for many years. This does not indicate that part of those infected may develop liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in the future. Most of the time, however, when patients go to the doctor, there are already signs of chronic liver failure: jaundice, enlargement of the spleen, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites), disturbances in attention and behavior (hepatic encephalopathy). The evolution of this form of the disease depends on factors such as virus replication, immune response, alcohol consumption and eventual infection with other viruses.
Causes of Hepatitis B Transmission: Hepatitis B is caused by the HBV virus or Hepatitis B virus which can generate an infection in the liver killing its cells. This virus can survive at least 7 days outside the body . Its contamination occurs through contact with another infected person where there is a sharing of blood or body fluids. Hepatitis B is a contagious disease , but it is not transmitted by casual contact such as coughing, hugging or sharing some personal objects. Its transmission is through contact with infected blood and body fluids. So check out now The 4 Causes of Hepatitis B Transmission:
- Saliva
- Blood
- Semen
- vaginal secretions
Therefore, it is common for gay men who have not been vaccinated and people with many sexual partners to contract Hepatitis B. This pathology can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth, which normally takes the disease to a chronic stage before 5 years of life.
We can still mention that the inappropriate use of syringes and needles, as in the use of illicit drugs, for example, can lead to contamination. Even in health use such as medical, dental procedures, shaving and tattooing devices can transmit the virus.
Transmission of Hepatitis B: The virus that causes Hepatitis B exists in the blood , saliva, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk of patients or asymptomatic carriers. Hepatitis B transmission can be carried out by direct contact with saliva, blood or other body fluids, through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion or sharing syringes for injecting drugs. The virus is much more resistant and much easier to transmit than HIV and persists longer on these instruments, but is destroyed by careful washing and heat sterilization. It sometimes resists low pH (acidic), moderate heat and low temperatures. Hepatitis B virus is able to survive in the outside environment for at least a week.
The virus can be transmitted through exposure to contaminated blood or body fluids, such as semen and vaginal secretions. Viral DNA has also been detected in the saliva, tears and urine of chronic carriers. Perinatal infection, that is, during childbirth, is one of the main routes of transmission in endemic areas, with about a 20% risk of transmission for HBsAg positive mothers and 90% if they are also HBeAg positive. The earlier the pregnant woman starts treatment, the lower the risk of transmission.
Vulnerable groups include healthcare workers , people receiving transfusions or undergoing dialysis in countries without proper control, acupuncture, tattooing, travelers to endemic locations, and institutional residents. However, the Hepatitis B virus cannot be transmitted through shaking hands, sharing cutlery or cups, kissing, hugging, coughing or sneezing. The delta agent or Hepatitis D virus is transmitted from patients with both HBV and HDV to patients with chronic HBV only by the same routes and in the same risk groups.
Prevention of Hepatitis B: Avoiding contact with infected blood or those whose health status is unknown , not sharing sharp and perforating objects, or instruments used to prepare injectable drugs, and always using condoms during sexual intercourse are the main forms of prevention. prevent contagion. Tattooing, piercing and acupuncture treatments should only be done if the instruments used are properly sterilized.
Treatment of Hepatitis B: Treatment for acute Hepatitis B consists of rest, light food, good hydration and not drinking any alcoholic beverages and thus, healing occurs spontaneously in most cases.
In the case of chronic hepatitis B , which occurs when the virus remains in the liver for more than 180 days, it is also advisable to take medication for approximately 1 year to avoid further complications in the liver . Learn more about the treatment by clicking here.
When an adult is infected with the virus and is in good general health , the disease usually occurs mildly and the body itself is able to eliminate the virus. But children who have been infected with the virus during childbirth or breastfeeding are at greater risk of developing the chronic form of the disease and suffering from its complications such as cirrhosis, ascites or liver cancer , for example.