Related articles: Hepatitis B
Definition
Hepatitis B is an infectious disease that affects the liver and causes inflammation.
The responsible agent is a DNA virus, called Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), belonging to the Hepadnaviridae family. HBV targets hepatocytes, where it settles and begins to proliferate.
Infection is transmitted through contact with body fluids of infected people, especially blood and genital secretions. Hepatitis B, therefore, can be contracted through unprotected sexual intercourse and through infected blood products (transfusions, drug addiction, accidental inoculation of the agent through the use of contaminated needles and surgical instruments that are not well sterilized). Other modes of transmission include sharing personal items such as nail scissors, toothbrush or razor. Maternal-fetal transmission is also possible.
Hepatitis B can occur in acute, chronic or fulminant form.
The acute illness lasts less than six months; in most cases, people recover with complete recovery, without any permanent damage, and develop lasting immunity. However, the hepatitis B virus may not even be completely eliminated by the immune system. The disease, in fact, can become chronic and have a malignant course, as it can lead to the onset of very serious problems, such as liver cirrhosis (chronic inflammation of the liver with formation of scar tissue) and hepatocellular carcinoma. In other chronic cases, the virus persists in the liver, but does not cause liver damage, even in the long term. Some subjects, in fact, once they have recovered from the disease, can remain chronic carriers (contagious) without suffering particular consequences. Rarely, hepatitis B is fulminant and causes often fatal liver failure.
Most common symptoms and signs *
- Anorexia
- Ascites
- Asthenia
- Increased transaminases
- Chills
- Abdominal pain
- Spleen pain
- Pain in the upper part of the abdomen
- Articolar pains
- Muscle pains
- Edema
- Hepatomegaly
- Temperature
- I made clear
- Abdominal swelling
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Portal hypertension
- Jaundice
- Lethargy
- Leukopenia
- Headache
- Nausea
- Urticaria
- thrombocytopenia
- itch
- Rheumatism
- Nephritic syndrome
- Nephrotic syndrome
- splenomegaly
- Dark urine
- He retched
Further indications
After an incubation period of 45-180 days, hepatitis B may present with non-specific symptoms, such as weakness, fever, nausea, abdominal pain, arthralgias, urticarial eruptions, loss of appetite and general malaise. After a few days, jaundice appears, a characteristic sign of hepatic involvement, which gives a yellowish color to the skin and eyes due to the increased concentration of bilirubin in the blood.
Another sign of ongoing hepatitis B is the color of the urine, which appears dark, while the faeces become clear. In some cases, these symptoms are even absent, so that the first ailments occur only when the disease has seriously compromised the functions of the liver.
The presence of hepatitis B virus can be ascertained through a simple blood test. The tests involve the search for specific viral antigens and antibodies produced by the subject against the virus responsible for the infection (serological markers of acute or chronic infection).
Usually, no specific therapy is recommended for adults who contract the infection in acute form. In general, rest, adequate nutrition, fluid intake, strict medical monitoring and abstaining from alcoholic beverages are recommended. As for patients suffering from chronic hepatitis B, the treatment includes antiviral drugs (such as interferon, entecavir and tenofovir) that allow to keep the replication of the virus inside the infected cells, limiting the extent of damage to the liver and disease progression. In cases of severe hepatic impairment, organ transplantation can be evaluated.
In Italy, to prevent hepatitis B, mandatory vaccination for newborns has been introduced since 1991. The vaccination schedule includes three administrations, at the 3rd, 5th and 11th or 13th month of the child's life. No booster doses are required. The vaccine is recommended and free even for some risk groups.
In addition to the vaccine, hepatitis B can be prevented by using condoms in the case of occasional sexual intercourse and by avoiding the exchange of used syringes and sharing personal toiletry items.
