Hepatitis B

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Disease progression
Incubation period is 6weeks to 6months Following infection, disease remains subclinical in 60-65%,20-25% develop acute hepatitis,5-10% become chronic carriers and 4% develop chronic hepatitis

Signs and symptoms

Acute hepatitis: anorexia, nausea, weakness, vomiting, joint pains, muscleaches, jaundice, dark urine, clay coloured or light tissue, abdominal pain with enlarged liver (upper abdomen) Chronic hepatitis :Biochemical or serological evidence of continuing or relapsing liver disease for more than 6months.common systems are fatigue, loss of appetite and jaundice

Treatment
Interferons(IFN-a2b and peginterferon-a2a Nucleoside or nucleotide analogues (lamivudine, adenovir, entecavir, tenofovir, telbivudine) Liver transportation Surgical resection of liver cancer

What you need to know

Definition and background
Liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) HBV was discovered in 1966 Virus multiplies in the liver and causes liver dysfunction People with chronic HBV are at risk of developing chronic liver disease and have a 200 fold increased risk of liver cancer

Prevention
Hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccination .The vaccine is safe and effective The vaccine is given in 3 doses(o Months,1 month and 6 months a part) Educate patients who are carries about safe sex practices and universal vaccination

Further care
All persons with chronic hepatitis B not immune to hepatitis A should receive 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine 6-18 months apart. Infants of HBV infected women should receive hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccination within 12 hours of birth .They should receive all 3 doses Breastfeeding is acceptable and does not pose a risk to infants who have begun prophylaxis (vaccine) For more Information AAR City centre clinic, 2nd floor Eco Bank Plaza Building, Parliament Avenue, opposite Mateos. 8am-7pm Mon to Friday 8am- 2pm on Saturday 10am-4pm on Sunday. P.O.Box 6420, Kampala, Tel: (256)414 560900/ 0716-555800 Fax: (256)414258615 info@aar.co.ug

Statistics
HBV infects more than 350 million people worldwide About 5% of worlds population has chronic HBV infection and it is the leading cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer Endemic is china, Southeast Asia and Africa Most are infected during childhood

Spread of Virus
The virus can be present in all body fluids except stool. It can spread through contact with body fluids like blood, saliva, sweat, tears, breast milk and semen Modes of transmission are the same as for HIV but HBV is 50-100 times more infectious. Unlike HIV, HBV can survive outside the body for at least 7days

Common modes of transmission

Perinatal (mother to child at birth) Early childhood infections(through close interpersonal contact with infected household members) Unsafe injection methods Blood transfusions

Sexual contact