Infectious Disease

Hepatitus B
Patricia Ousley HCA/240 12/9/12 Lucretia Wright
Abstract
The infectious disease I chose to write my paper on is Hepatitis B. This infectious disease is irritation and swelling of the liver. This can cause the liver to not function properly. When the liver cannot remove harmful toxins from the blood, fight infection, also help digest food, store important nutrients and vitamins a person is not capable of living without a liver.

Hepatitis B What causes Hepatitis B and who may be at risk? Hepatitis B virus are germs that can cause a person to become sick and anyone can get Hepatitis B, however some people are at higher risk. Hepatitis B virus can be spread or infect a person if come into contact with another person’s blood, semen, or other body fluids. (1) Having sex with someone who is infected with the hepatitis virus. One way of becoming infected is through tattoos or piercings; this may happen if you go to someone who does not sterilize their tools after using it on an infected person.
One of the environmental factors that may make someone vulnerable to contracting Hepatitis B virus is new born, if a mother is infected with the virus she can pass the virus to her child during childbirth. (2) Some of the risk factors of having Hepatitis b virus infection being infected with HIV virus. How the body responds to the infection will determine how much damage the Hepatitis B has done to body, the virus may lead to liver damage.
Treatment for Hepatitis B virus varies from person to person and depends on how the body responds. Some of the following tests are done to identify what liver damage may be from Hepatitis B. * Albumin level * Liver function tests * Prothrombin time
Some tests are also done to help in diagnosing and monitoring people with the Hepatitis B virus.(3) * HBs Ag (Anti-HBs) – positive result means you have either had Hepatitis B in the past, or have received the vaccine. (3) * Antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (Anti-HBc) – positive result means you had a recent infection or an infection in the past. (3) * Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) – positive result means you have an active infection.(3)
For acute hepatitis there is no specific treatment other than monitoring the virus and checking the liver and other body functions with routine blood tests. Maintaining healthy eating habits while getting plenty of rest and drinking plenty of fluids. In some rare cases with patients have developed liver failure and have had to receive a liver transplant. This can be dangerous since the body may reject the new organ as an alien source with in the body. This is only used in cases with severe chronic hepatitis b. A liver transplant would be considering an alternative treatment and also a last resort since all other treatments failed. The methods used today to control the spread of Hepatitis b virus and controlling the virus would be to have all children receive their vaccinations at birth for Hepatitis b. This would be given at birth and then in a series of three vaccine shots by the age of six months. People who works in the health care such as hospitals, nursing homes were they are in constant contact with individuals who may have the virus should also be vaccinated for the Hepatitis virus. Another way of controlling the spreading of the virus is to screen all donated blood will reduce the risk of tainted blood and passing the virus through a blood transfusion. Many people have contracted the virus in the pass from tainted blood, now the medical field takes many measures to prevent this from happening. Lifestyle changes a person makes to avoid contact with a person who has acute or chronic Hepatitis B. Research continues with the NIH (National Institute of Health) supporting to better understand the Hepatitis virus. Testing continues to find new approaches for treatment of Hepatitis B including antiviral drugs. (3) Continuing to eliminate Hepatitis B virus will take time but we have come a long way since even the early 2000 knowing the facts and having routine blood test when you are infected will be proactive towards eliminating the virus. Also continue to have our children vaccinated will be the best start.

Reference 1. Digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddisease 2. report.nih.gov 3. ncbi.hlm.nih.gov