Understanding Hepatitis B. The liver has hundreds of functions so that it became one of the most important organs in the human body. Liver function of which was to produce bile fluid that can aid digestion of fat, carbohydrate stores, producing compounds that are important in blood clotting, and eliminate toxins from the body.
Humans only have one liver. This organ has a very tough durability. Keep working even though the liver gets damaged and unable to continue to regenerate (repair themselves) as long as the damage does not suffer really badly.
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| Understanding Hepatitis B |
One of the serious infections that can attack the liver hepatitis B is caused by a virus.Some of the symptoms of hepatitis B among other things:
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Jaundice (seen from the skin and the whites of the eyes are yellow).
- Symptoms similar to a cold, tired, for example pain in the body, and headaches.
But the symptoms are not directly felt and there is even an entirely does not appear.That's why many people are not aware that he has been infected. Incubation time is the distance between the virus first entered the body until the appearance of the first symptoms of the infection. Hepatitis B incubation period usually ranging between 1-5 months since going on exposure to the virus.
Hepatitis B sufferers in Indonesia
Hepatitis B is a matter of the health of the world, including Indonesia. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that hepatitis B is the cause of more than 780,000 deaths each year in the world.
In Indonesia alone, the result of basic medical Research in 2007 shows that hepatitis B prevalence of 9.4%. This means one in 10 residents of Indonesia infected with Hepatitis b. Unfortunately, only one of the five hepatitis B sufferers in Indonesia are aware that they have the disease.
Hepatitis B Transmission Method
Hepatitis B can be transmitted through blood and bodily fluids, such as semen andvaginal fluid. The virus of the disease far more easily transmitted than HIV. Several ways of transmission are:
- Sexual contact, e.g. changing partner and having sex without a safety device.
- Sharing syringes. For example using syringes contaminated with blood are hepatitis B sufferers.
- Contact with the syringe is not intentional. For example, a health worker (paramedics)often deal with human blood.
- The mother and the baby. Mothers who are pregnant can pass the disease on her baby during childbirth.
Diagnosis on Hepatitis B
The diagnosis of hepatitis B is done through examination of blood. To note is the detection of HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen). HbsAg is the outer layer of the virus of hepatitis B that trigger a reaction of your immune system.
The emergence of a positive result indicates that your liver is hepatitis B protein release into the blood. This indicates an infection.
In addition to test HBsAg, the doctor will probably recommend that you undergo a more specific examination, namely the evaluation of liver function. This inspection is also done through a blood test for the presence of liver damage or not.
Acute and chronic hepatitis B
Hepatitis B infection can occur within a short period (acute) or long term (chronic).
Hepatitis B virus generally stays in the body for approximately 30 to 90 days. This is what is known as acute hepatitis B. The acute infection is commonly experienced by adults. If you have acute hepatitis B, your immune system can usually eliminate the virus from the body and you will recover in a few months.
Whereas chronic hepatitis B occurs when the virus live in the body for more than six months. Hepatitis B type is more common in infants and children. Children who are infected with the virus at birth are at risk four to five times more likely to suffer from chronic hepatitis B than children who are infected in infancy. While for adults, 20% of those exposed to the virus will lead to a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B.
Patients with chronic hepatitis B can transmit the virus without showing any symptoms.
Cirrhosis is the last stage of chronic hepatitis B. Cirrhosis is a condition of the liver organ has experienced sustained damage and eventually form a wound or scar tissue.These networks differ from a healthy liver tissue. In siroris conditions, liver cells have changed and the networks have hardened so that any liver function decreases drastically. One of the five hepatitis B sufferers had cirrhosis. This complication requires about 8-20 years to develop. Approximately 10 percent of patients with cirrhosis eventually undergo liver cancer.
Hepatitis B Treatment Steps
There are no specific steps in the treatment of hepatitis b. Purpose of treatment is to reduce symptoms of pain relief with drugs as well as keep the sufferer everyday comfort and balance its nutrition value.
While treatment for chronic hepatitis B, depending on the severity of the infection in the liver. The handling of the disease using medicines that serve to:
- Inhibit the production of the virus.
- To prevent damage to the liver.
Preventive Measures The Spread Of Hepatitis B
Treatment step can indeed inhibit the spread of hepatitis B, chronic and prevent complications, but could not cure the infection. Chronic hepatitis B sufferers can still pass it on to other people.
Vaccines and preventive measures of exposure to Hepatitis B Virus
Effective measures in the prevention of hepatitis B vaccine is by. In Indonesia alone,hepatitis B vaccine including vaccine mandatory in immunization. The process ofadministering vaccines was done three times, that is, when the child was born, theone-month-old child, and children aged 3-6 months. But adults of all ages are encouraged to receive the hepatitis B vaccine.
Administering the vaccine is also recommended for those at high risk of contracting hepatitis B, such as:
- People who have more than one sexual partner.
- People who use injection drugs or having sex with injection drug users.
- Health workers (paramedics) who are at risk of exposure to hepatitis B virus.
- People who live in the same House with a hepatitis B sufferer.
- Sufferers of chronic liver disease.
Patients with kidney disease.
Hepatitis B screening was also applied to pregnant women. If the mother suffered from the disease, her baby can receive the vaccine at birth (12 hours after birth) to prevent transmission from mother to baby.
Other steps you can take to reduce the risk of getting hepatitis B include:
- Stop or do not use illegal drugs.
- Avoid sharing the use of the goods such as toothbrushes, earrings, as well as razors.
- Beware when wants to piercing and menato body.
- Don't have sex without protection tools unless you are sure your partner does not have a hepatitis B or other contagious venereal disease.
For Patients With Hepatitis B
Adult hepatitis B sufferers are generally able to control the virus. They can be healthy again within months despite having severe symptoms.
Liver damage is a risk shared by sufferers of chronic hepatitis B. Most of them sufferedliver damage is very small. But there are also people with chronic hepatitis B who eventually suffered from cirrhosis and liver cancer sometimes.
Therefore, vaccination is very important as a precaution. Especially if you fall into one of the categories of people who are exposed to high risk of hepatitis b.
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