Hepatitis B is a killer virus, see how is Transmitted and the Symptoms.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver. Chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B can cause liver cell damage, which can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and cancer. It is estimated that 5,000 people die each year in the United States due to the complications of cirrhosis and liver cancer as a result of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

How is it transmitted 

• HBV is transmitted through direct contact with blood, semen, or vaginal secretions.
• Hepatitis B can be transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex. In adolescents and adults, this is the most common mode of transmission. It can also be transmitted by injecting drug users who share needles or other injecting equipment contaminated with HBV-infected blood.
• Although tattoo, body piercing, and acupuncture needles may transmit hepatitis B, these exposures account for only a small proportion of reported cases in the United States.
• Mothers who have hepatitis B can pass it on to their babies during birth.
• Rarely, transmission may occur in the following ways:
• Saliva can be a means of transmission through bites. However, transmission has not been documented to occur as a result of other types of exposure to saliva, including kissing.
• The risk of transmission from blood transfusion is currently low in the U.S. since blood banks screen all donated blood.
• HBV is found in transmittable levels in body fluids including semen, vaginal secretions, saliva, and blood. HBV has also been found in low concentrations in other body fluids, though these fluids have NOT been associated with transmission: tears; urine; feces; breast milk; cerebrospinal fluid. Hepatitis B is not spread through food or water or by casual contact.

What are the Symptoms?

Many adults have few or no symptoms. Symptoms may mimic the flu and can include:

• Loss of appetite
• Malaise (feeling of ill-health)
• Fatigue (feeling tired all the time)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Rash or arthritis may occur prior to the onset of other symptoms (during the prodromal or early acute stage).
• A few patients (1%) have a more severe course of illness and may experience sudden and severe liver failure within a short period of time after infection. These people may suddenly collapse with fatigue, have jaundice, and develop swelling in their abdomen. This can be fatal if not treated immediately.