What is hepatitis B virus?
It
is otherwise call “serum hepatitis”. It is an infection by hepatitis B virus
which mainly affects the liver. This lead to diffused inflammation of the cells
of the liver causing liver enlargement and jaundice (yellowness of the eyes).It
is essentially a blood-borne infection.
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How common is the disease?
It
has infected about 2 billion people around the world. There are about 350
million chronic carriers worldwide. About a third of world populations are at
risk of the disease. About 400,000 new cases occur in Nigeria annually.
Where is the disease found?
Worldwide,
but common in Africa, Middle and Far-East Asia.
How is it
transmitted?
· Blood transfusion with contaminated blood
· Needle prick with contaminated needle
· Sharing razor blade, toothbrush etc with infected persons
· Sexual intercourse
· Mother to child
· Child to child
· Kissing of infected person
especially those with oral sores
*Basically the disease is transmitted through the exchange of body
fluids or blood like HIV/AIDs
How does it show in an infected person?
- Fever
- Body rashes
- Joint pain
- Yellowness of the eyes(jaundice)
- Dark urine
- Constant headache
- Malaise
*All
symptoms do not have to be present in an infected person.
Who are vulnerable to the disease?
The
following people are more vulnerable to the disease
- Hospital staff having contact with patients
- Laboratory staff
- Blood bank staff
- Funeral homes and crematorium staff
- Paramedics
- Commercial laundry staff etc
What
are the complications?
· Liver cirrhosis
· Primary liver cell carcinoma etc
How
do you prevent it?
- · Avoid sharing needle e.g. hospital needle, household needle, needles in salon etc
- · Avoid unsafe sex i.e. unprotected sex, high risk sexual intercourse (intercourse with individual with multiple sexual partners like prostitute) or unscreened individuals.
- · Get vaccinated against the disease (before you catch the disease).
- · Do not take unscreened blood.
- · Seek information from your doctor
- · Avoid indiscriminate contact with body fluid of people.
What about hepatitis B vaccine?
- · It is relatively safe and effective (about 95% effective in preventing children and adults from developing chronic infection if they are not yet infected).
- · It is widely used (since 1982 over I billion doses have been given worldwide).
- · It is taken in 3 consecutive doses.
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