Sex-Education

Topic: STDS

 Hepatitis B

What YOU need to know...

Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease caused by infection of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is the most common serious liver infection. 350 million people in the world are diagnosed with chronic HBV, more than 250 thousand people die from this liver infection every year.

There are two phases of hepatitis b: acute and chronic.

Acute is short term, very few people develop a life threatening form of acute hepatitis b called fulminant hepatitis.

Chronic is long term hepatitis b that last longer than 6 months, unfortunately chronic hepatitis b may never go away.

Fortunately 95% of people who get infected with hepatitis b can fight off the virus before it becomes chronic.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver, hepatitis means "inflammation". It is caused by the hepatitis b virus (HBV), a virus of the DNA. The models below shows the hepatitis b virus. Where the red represents the double stranded DNA genome, the blue represents a protein capsid shell and the yellow represents glycoprotein spikes that attach to liver cells.

 How is Hepatitis B transmitted and who is at risk? 

Hepatitis B is transmitted by

• blood to blood contact
• unprotected sex (including oral sex) with an infected partner
• sharing heroin needles or any needles for that matter
• sharing razors and toothbrushes
• children of pregnant women with HBV are at risk

Who is at risk?

• drug users (only those that use needles)
• men who have sex with other men
• people who have sex with people with hepatitis b
• sex workers
• Pacific Islanders and Asian descendants

Common Symptoms

50% of all people infected with HBV have no symptoms or a "silent disease".

As for the other 50% early symptoms include:

• appetite loss
• fever
• fatigue
• nausea and vomiting (can cause dehydration)
• itchiness throughout the body
• muscle aches
• diarrhea

Later symptoms include:

• jaundice
• grey feces
• dark brown urine

Fulminant hepatitis b, although rare, is very deadly, symptoms develop quickly and include:

• sudden fainting
• lethargy and confusion
• abdominal swelling

The image above shows an expanded abdomen due to HBV 

How long Hepatitis B last?

90% of people with hepatitis b recover in 6 months, 10% with chronic hepatitis b end up having liver failure, liver cancer or fibrosis.

Does it affect both sexes, are the symptoms sexually discriminating?

Hepatitis B affects both men and women, however the affects hit men harder then they hit women. It's affects are sexually discriminating. Chronic HBV is 6 times more likely to affect men. Which means men are 6 times more likely to acquire liver cancer and cirrhosis due to hepatitis b.

Preventing Hepatitis B?

• Get vaccinated
• Stay clean, wash hands, bathe daily
• Practice safer sex (condom use)
• Don't share your drug needles, cocaine straws
• Don't share toothbrushes, razors
• Don't share body piercing and tattoo needles
• Don't touch blood with bare hands, wear gloves, clean blood or other bodily fluids with bleach. 

How is Hepatitis B diagnosed?

Hepatitis B is diagnosed through a blood test. There are three different types that are used.

• HBsAg is a surface antigen test
• HBsAb/ anti-HBs is a surface antibody test
• HBcAb/ anti-HBc is a core antibody test

Is there a treatment, are there medications?

If one is aware they have been affected with the hepatitis b virus one must contact their physician immediately. They will then be injected with hepatitis b immune globin, and may be able to prevent the disease within 24 hours. However if the disease progresses then other measures must be taken

• Acute hepatitis b infection requires no treatment and may clear up on its own.
• Chronic hepatitis b requires anti-viral medications to slow down liver damage, your doctor may prescribe Interferon Alpha or Lamivudine
• The worst cases of chronic hepatitis b, where the liver has been destroyed a liver transplant may be necessary.

Long term effects of Hepatitis B?

In chronic hepatitis b cases, a patient may end up with live cancer and liver cirrhosis.

ALWAYS PRACTICE SAFE SEX AND CONSIDER GETTING VACCINATED.

References: 

1) Illinois Department of Public Health "Healthbeat" Hepatitis B http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbhepb.htm

2) E Medicine Health "Hepatitis B" http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hepatitis_b/article_em.htm

3) Medical News Today  "Why Hepatitis B Hits Men Harder Then Women" http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171549.php

4) Hepatitis B Brochure "Hepatitis B" http://www.liverfoundation.org/downloads/alf_download_22.pdf

Images:

Image 1

http://www.hon.ch/Library/Theme/HepB/hbvirus.GIF

Image 2

http://www.topnews.in/files/hepatitis-b.jpg

Image 3

http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/lecture/images/hepato-b.jpg

Image 4

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/0_images2009/liver_damage.gif