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- Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease.
- The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person.
- An estimated 257 million people are living with hepatitis B virus infection (defined as hepatitis B surface antigen positive).
- In 2015, hepatitis B resulted in 887 000 deaths, mostly from complications (including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma).
- Hepatitis B is an important occupational hazard for health workers.
- However, it can be prevented by the currently available safe and effective vaccine.
- Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is a major global health problem.
- It can cause chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- A vaccine against hepatitis B has been available since 1982.
- The vaccine is 95% effective in preventing infection and the development of chronic disease and liver cancer due to hepatitis B.
TRANSMISSION
- The hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body for at least 7 days.
- During this time, the virus can still cause infection if it enters the body of a person who is not protected by the vaccine.
- The incubation period of the hepatitis B virus is 75 days on average but can vary from 30 to 180 days.
- The virus may be detected within 30 to 60 days after infection and can persist and develop into chronic hepatitis B.
- Hepatitis B is also spread by percutaneous or mucosal exposure to infected blood and various body fluids, as well as through saliva, menstrual, vaginal, and seminal fluids.
- Sexual transmission of hepatitis B may occur, particularly in unvaccinated men who have sex with men and heterosexual persons with multiple sex partners or contact with sex workers
- Mother to the child at birth (perinatal transmission).
SYMPTOMS
- Most people do not experience any symptoms during the acute infection phase.
- However, some people have acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks, including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
- A small subset of persons with acute hepatitis can develop acute liver failure, which can lead to death.
- In some people, the hepatitis B virus can also cause a chronic liver infection that can later develop into cirrhosis (a scarring of the liver) or liver cancer.
WHO IS AT RISK FOR CHRONIC DISEASE?
- The likelihood that infection becomes chronic depends upon the age at which a person becomes infected.
- Children less than 6 years of age who become infected with the hepatitis B virus are the most likely to develop chronic infections.
IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN:
- 80–90% of infants infected during the first year of life develop chronic infections; and
- 30–50% of children infected before the age of 6 years develop chronic infections
IN ADULTS:
- less than 5% of otherwise healthy persons who are infected as adults will develop chronic infection; and
- 20–30% of adults who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis and/or liver cancer.
HBV-HIV CO-INFECTION
- About 1% of persons living with HBV infection (2.7 million people) are also infected with HIV.
- Conversely, the global prevalence of HBV infection in HIV-infected persons is 7.4%.
- Since 2015, WHO has recommended treatment for everyone diagnosed with HIV infection, regardless of the stage of the disease.
- Tenofovir, which is included in the treatment combinations recommended in the first intention against HIV infection, is also active against HBV.
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