Biology Assignment

Submitted by: Maham Ahmed (01-171182-013)

Class: BS psychology

Date: 23rd November, 2018.

Submitted to: Sir Kashif Ali

 Hepatitis B and C
Hepatitis

Your liver is the largest organ inside our body. It helps your body to digest food, store energy, and
remove poisons. Hepatitis is an inflammation of liver. Viruses causes most of the hepatitis. The
type of hepatitis is named after the viruses that causes it. Some forms of hepatitis are mild while
some are serious that lead to scarring called cirrhosis or to liver cancer.

Types of hepatitis

There are 5 types of Hepatitis each which is caused by different viruses. They are Hepatitis A,
Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D and Hepatitis E,

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is potentially life threatening. It is a liver infection caused by hepatitis B virus and is a
major global health problem. It can cause chronic infection and put people at the risk of death by
cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis B virus structure

symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Hepatitis B range from mild to severe. They usually appear about one
month to four months after you’ve been infected. Although you can see them very clearly as two
weeks post infection. Some people usually younger children may not have any symptoms at all
symptoms may include:

Abdominal pain, dark urine, jaundice, fever, joint pain, nausea and vomiting, weakness and
fatigue, loss of appetite etc.

Transmission

Sexual contact: you may get hepatitis B if you have unprotected sex with someone who is infected
with Hepatitis B. It can pass through someone infected body fluids.

Sharing of needles: HBV easily spreads through needles and syringes contaminated with infected
blood. Sharing IV drugs Paraphernalia puts a person at high risk of Hepatitis B.

Mother to the child: pregnant woman infected with HBV can pass the virus to their babies during
birth however the newborn can be vaccinated to avoid getting in almost all cases.

Accidental needle sticks: hepatitis B is a concern for health care workers or anyone else who
comes in contact with human blood.

Acute vs chronic hepatitis

 Acute hepatitis B infection last less than six months. Your immune system can likely fight
the infection and clear it out from your body and you should recover completely within a
few months.
 Chronic hepatitis B infection last more than six months. It lingers because your immune
system can’t fight of the infection. Chronic hepatitis B infection may last a lifetime,
possibly leading to serious illness such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The younger you are when you get Hepatitis B particularly newborns or younger children,
the higher risk of the infection becoming chronic. Chronic infection may go undetected for
decades until a person becomes seriously ill from liver disease.
Complications

Having chronic HBV can lead to serious complications such as

Scarring of liver: the inflammation within Hepatitis B infection can lead to extensive liver
scarring (cirrhosis) which may impair the livers ability to function.

Liver cancer: people with chronic Hepatitis B have increased risk of liver cancer.

Liver failure: acute liver failure is a condition in which the function of liver shuts down when that
occurs a liver transplant is necessary to sustain life.

Other conditions: people with chronic hepatitis B may develop kidney disease or inflammation
of blood vessels.

Preventions

 Hepatitis B vaccine is given as 3 or 4 injections over six months. You can’t get hepatitis
from the vaccine. It is recommended for newborns, children and adolescents not vaccinated
at birth, people with chronic liver disease etc.
 Don’t use illegal drugs, if you can’t stop, use sterile needles each time you inject illicit
drug. Never share needles.
 Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing make sure employees use sterile needles
 If you are travelling to a region where Hepatitis B is common, ask your doctors about the
Hepatitis B vaccine in advance. It is usually given in series of three injections over a six
month period.

Treatment

If your doctor determines that your infection is acute meaning it is short lived and will go away
soon you may not need treatment. Instead your doctor might recommend rest, proper nutrition, and
plenty of fluids while your body fight the infection.

In severe cases antiviral drugs or hospital stay is needed to prevent complications. For liver
damaging risk you may need to have a liver transplant.
 Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a disease that causes liver inflammation and infection of the liver. This condition
develops after being infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV). It can be either acute or chronic.
Unlike hepatitis A and B, there’s no vaccine for hepatitis C, although efforts to create one continue.
It is highly contagious which explains the number of people infected with it.

Hepatitis C virus structure

Symptoms

The center of disease control and prevention (CDC) states that approximately 70 to 80 percent of
people infected with Hepatitis C don’t have symptoms while it is true some people report mild to
severe symptoms. These symptoms include;

Fever, dark urine, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, discomfort, joint pain etc.

These symptoms may show right away or take six to seven weeks to appear.
Transmission

It can spread through blood to blood contact with person HCV infected person. Organ transplant,
blood transfusion, sharing items such as razor or tooth brushes, sharing needles and child birth
(from mother with Hepatitis C to her child) can also transmit Hepatitis C infection.

Is Hepatitis C contagious?

Hepatitis C is contagious. However, because it spreads through blood to blood contact, it isn’t
likely that you’d get Hepatitis C through casual contact. There are many other infections that are
a lot more contagious.

Complications

Complications from Hepatitis C includes cirrhosis and liver cancer. Some people may need a liver
transplant. Complications usually arise from chronic hepatitis C. Diagnosis, the sooner a treatment
plan can be implemented that will hopefully avoid these complications.

Preventions

Everyone has a responsibility to help prevent the spread of Hepatitis C and take care of themselves
and others this means.

 Not sharing and reusing any injection equipment, syringes and needles
 Avoiding body tattooing or body piercing. Sterile techniques should be used.
 Covering any sores, cuts or abrasions with waterproof dressing
 Always using standard precautions when handling blood or body fluids. This will generally
eliminate the risk of spreading Hepatitis C.

Treatment

Improved antiviral therapy is available and new treatment have increased the number of people
who have been able to cure the virus. And avoid ongoing symptoms and liver damage. People who
are infected with hepatitis C should avoid taking alcohols and drugs.

Lifelong monitoring of chronic hepatitis c infected by general practioner and liver specialist can
assist in preventing the progression to severe liver disease including liver cancer