Hepatitis B virus can cause an infection either in the form of a short, acute illness or a chronic, long-lasting condition that affects the liver. Hepatitis B can cause serious disease in infants, so pregnant mothers who carry the virus must try to protect their babies by being screened and having their babies vaccinated after birth.
What Is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B virus is an organism that infects the liver, causing either a short, acute illness or a chronic, long-lasting disease. A baby who gets infected with the virus may experience a mild condition with no symptoms, but most babies become chronic carriers of the virus and pass them to others. What's worse is that one out of four carriers of the virus eventually develop serious liver disease later in life, such as cancer or liver failure. It is important to remember, however, that protection from this disease may be provided in most (95%) of cases by getting immunized with a vaccine.
Young children, including infants usually have no symptoms of infection with Hepatitis B. However, in 70% of older children, acute hepatitis B infection causes symptoms such as:
Fever
Tiredness
Loss of appetite
Joint pains, muscle aches
Stomach aches
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Dark urine
Yellowing of eyes and skin
Affected children usually show these symptoms 3 to 4 months after initial infection.
The virus spreads by direct contact with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, sliva, vaginal fluids, semen and breast milk. This is why babies of mothers who have been infected with hepatitis-b are at great risk of getting infected at birth.
What Are the Benefits of the Hepatitis B Vaccine?
Just like other vaccines, the hepatitis B vaccine protects children against the virus, which causes dis...
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...d be vaccinated one month after birth or after they are discharged from the nursery. Furthermore, sick children must wait for full recovery before getting their shot so they can tolerate the side effects of the vaccine.
If you want to know more about the hepatitis B vaccine, you can watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbQui8wLaMg
Summary
Hepatitis B causes an infection that affects the liver and can cause serious disease in infants. Pregnant women must be screened for the virus and must try to protect their babies by having them vaccinated after birth.
Works Cited
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hepb/fs-parents.html http://www.cyh.com/healthtopics/healthtopicdetails.aspx?p=438&np=465&id=2799 http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-hepatitis-b-vaccine_1561.bc?showAll=true
http://www.birth.com.au/hepatitis-b/side-effects-of-hep-b-vaccine?p=1#.UzuEjz-Sz9g
Hepatitis A is a usually short acting virus that occurs in humans and monkeys. It is caused by the Hepatovirus and the species is Hepatitis A Virus. There are two major ways in which Hepatitis A can be transmitted. One way is from person to person. This transmission occurs when the fecal matter of an infected person gets ingested by another person. Other ways Hepatitis A can be transmitted from person to person are through direct contact with an infected person, such as sexual contact, and sharing of needles for intravenous drug use. Hepatitis A can also be transmitted through coming in contact with contaminated food or water. Also foods that are uncooked or undercooked and have been contaminated with Hepatitis A can transmit the virus. (Bennett,
Hepatitis B virus infection is caused by a DNA virus belonging to the hepadnaviridae family of viruses. Approximately 2.2 million people in the United States of America are infected with Hepatitis B virus. Many of these patients, though they appear healthy, continue to spread the virus to others. Hepatitis B virus infection can be transmitted in the following ways: contact with contaminated blood (shared needles), sexual contact, and from mother to child. Unlike Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B is not spread through food, water, or causal contact. 95% of adults who get Hepatitis B can clear the virus through their system. However the remainder of the adults go on to develop chronic hepatitis B infection. This can
The Hepatitis B virus is a disease that affects the liver and results in swelling and loss of normal function in the liver. It is estimated that 350 million people are infected with Hepatitis B worldwide, with 50 million new cases diagnosed every year.(1) In the Unit...
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a virus that leads to infection of the liver. Infection of the HBV can be acute or lifelong (chronic). Humans are the only known host for HBV (CSC, 2017). This virus can survive on environmental surfaces for up to seven days (WHO, 2017).
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a virus that attacks the liver. The virus is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids. This can occur through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, use of contaminated needles, and from an effected mother to her newborn during the delivery process. The majority of people do not have noticeable symptoms when they are first infected with the HBV. People who do not know they are infected with the HBV, their body can respond in different ways. I learned that some of the common symptoms of Hepatitis B infection include fever, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, loss of appetite, mild nausea, vomiting, and dark-colored urine. Some of the serious symptoms that require immediate medical attention and maybe even hospitalization are: severe nausea and vomiting, yellow eyes and skin (jaundice), bloated or swollen stomach.
Hepatitis is the inflammation or swelling of the liver. The inflammation can happen from different injuries or viral forms of a disease. People who experience hepatitis have the symptoms of malaise, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever and jaundice. There are six known forms of Hepatitis which are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, Hepatitis E and Hepatitis G. The presence of hepatitis in the body can be very risky and cause severe death if not taken care of. Hepatitis is a severe issue that affect many people around the world like third world countries and cross contamination can occur mainly in health care places due to the exposure of patients with the disease and accidents handling blood or instruments, Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E and G are distinct diseases that differ in transmission and vaccines to prevent them or cure them.
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. There are currently five known viruses that cause can hepatitis (Microbiology, 10e). The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person; however, it is now more commonly spread among IV drug users that share needles. Healthcare workers are also at risk for contracting HCV, but with standard precautions, the risk is low. “Prior to 1992, some people acquired the HCV infection from transfusions of blood or blood products. Since 1992, all blood products have been screened for HCV, and cases of HCV due to blood transfusion now are extremely rare. HCV can be passed from mother to unborn child. Approximately 4 out of every 100 infants born to HCV-positive mothers become infected with the virus. A small number of cases are transmitted through sexual intercourse; however, the risk of transmission of HCV from an infected individual to a non-infected spouse or sexual partner without the use of condoms over a lifetime has been estimated to be between 1% and 4%. There have also been some outbreaks of HCV when instruments exposed to blood have been re-used without appropriate disinfection.” (Microbiology, 10e)
Hepatitis B is a DNA viral infection that causes damage and inflammation to the liver. It was first discovered in 1965 by Dr. Baruch Blumberg. The HBV virus is very contagious and is even thought to be the most serious form of viral hepatitis and the most common viral infection on Earth. “HBV is 100 times more infectious than HIV.” (Green, 2002, pg. 7) The virus can survive for about one week outside the body on a dry surface. According to Green (2002, pg. 7), “One in twenty Americans has been infected with the virus at some point in their lives.” Between the ages of 15-39 is when 75% of new HBV infections occur, according to Green (2002, pg.8).
The signs and symptoms of blood borne pathogens vary based on the type of disease it is and the ability of a person’s immune system to fight it off. In most cases hepatitis B does not need to be treated and the body can fight it off on its own. However a long-term infection can develop in some people that can cause liver damage. There is a vaccination available to prevent acquiring the disease. The signs and symptoms for hepatitis C are usually mild. It can take two weeks to six months after contact before signs begin to show, or there may not be any symptoms at all. Hepatitis C typically becomes is a long-term infection and after many years will cause liver ...
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a blood-borne viral liver infection with various routs of transmission. It is one of the most common and serious liver diseases in the world and a leading cause of death worldwide. If the infection becomes chronic the infection can lead to liver failure, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
“Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.”("What Is Hepatitis?") There are three main types of hepatitis. These include hepatitis A, B, and C. These three types of hepatitis cause the most concern to medical staff due to their ability to spread and cause outbreaks. “Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis A virus.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) It can range from acute to chronic. An individual can become infected with hepatitis A if they eat or drink food or water that has been contaminated with the virus. Some common “sources of vitamin A include shellfish, fruits, vegetables, ice and water”. (U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Hepatitis A.”) Hepatitis B is a serious, endemic, worldwide disease that can occur at any age. (Wilkins 45) The hepatitis B virus causes hepatitis B infection. Hepatitis B is transmitted though contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person. (U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Hepatitis B.”) Hepatitis C...
An estimated 242,251 Canadians, and 150 million people worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus, and more than 350 000 people die every year from hepatitis C-related liver diseases.1 Hepatitis C can lead to other serious diseases, such as liver failure, death, etc. But without any vaccines available to prevent the contraction of the disease, it may be hard to avoid. Due to disease generally being asymptomatic many people are unaware that they have it, further spreading the disease because of a lack of prevention mechanisms. Hepatitis C when developed chronically can cause serious affects on the liver, which may even lead to death. With hepatitis C being such a serious disease, it is important that more people be tested for it so they can start treatment in the early stages of the disease, as well as be aware and informed, before it becomes a chronic infection leading to serious complications.
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