Hepatitis B

*Acute or Chronic Hepatitis B

*Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
(Hepadnaviridae)

*single or double stranded circular DNA
*enveloped
*4 protein coding genes (C,P,S, X)

*Core (HBcAG)
*Surface antigen
*Polymerases (Reverse transcriptase)

257 million

R: Humans, Chimps
POI: Compromised skin or mucosa
MOT: person to person (contaminated bodily fluids, blood semen STI)
*sharing items contaminated with blood
*Vertical

*7 dys

*8-21 wks

*virus enters blood stream, goes to liver
*attaches to hepatocytes via HBsAg
*immune system attacks hepatocytes, causes cirrhosis
*integration of viral DNA into host genome (leads to cancer)

*6 months

months to years (may be asymptomatic)

*fever
*fatigue
*loss of appetite
*nausea
*vomiting
*abdominal pain
*dark urine
*clay-colored bowel movements
*joint pain
*jaundice (skin and eyes)

*chronic infections (10%)
(may be symptom free or suffer from malaise, loss of appetite, general fatigue)
*Liver cirrhosis
*Liver cancer
*Liver failure
*Moratility (15-25% chronically infected)

*vaccination
*practice universal precautions
*avoid exposure to contaiminated fluids
*Hep B immune globulin can help prevent infection (when unvaccinated individual is exposed to contaminated fluids)

rest, fluids, adequate nutrition

*antivirals
*interferon