HBV Flashcards
What is hepatitis?
An inflammation of the liver and characterised by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of an organ
What are the 5 types of virus that can cause hepatitis?
HAV HBV HCV HDV HEV
Which is the most serious type of viral hepatitis?
Viral hepatitis B
How is acute hepatitis B defined?
When it lasts less than six months
How is chronic hepatitis B defined?
When it persists longer than six months
How many of the worlds population have been infected?
1/3
How is hepatitis B transmitted?
By exposure to:
Infectious blood
Body fluids
Perinatal infection
What factor appears to determine if HBV is chronic or acute?
Age, the younger the more likely to be chronic
How infectious is HBV?
50-100 times more infectious than HIV
What is the mechanism of transfection of HBV?
Virus enters hepatocyte Uncoating Nuclear transport Repairing partial genome Synthesis of HBV RNA Viral translocation Transcription leads to negative DNA Positive DNA strand synthesis Viral assembly at ER Nucleocapsids coat and envelope proteins Budding and viral secretion in blood
How do you prevent hepatitis B?
Vaccination
Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin
Screening of blood
What are the symptoms of acute HBV?
Itchy skin Dark urine Fatigue Anorexia Vomiting Fever
What are the characteristics of an asymptomatic carrier?
Normal LFTs
Asymptomatic
Near normal liver histology
What are the symptoms of a chronic carrier?
Elevated LFTs
Abnormal hepatic histology
20% develop cirrhosis
What do both type of carriers risk developing?
Hepatocellular carcinoma
