Hepatitis is a liver disease in which liver tissues are damaged due to external factors such as alcohol or viral infections. There are different types of hepatitis, but hepatitis B and C are the most common among them. Millions of people around the world are infected with hepatitis C and hepatitis B. Both have a different incubation period and a different mechanism of multiplication and infection of healthy liver cells. But, in both cases, hepatitis B is much more complicated and difficult to cure than hepatitis C. Let’s see what hepatitis B is and how it spreads.
There is a vaccine that is used these days to prevent infection. In hepatitis B, the virus infects the host and shows symptoms of infection after about 120 days. There may be no symptoms in some people, and in some, symptoms may appear after the incubation period. Hepatitis B is both acute and chronic, which means it can last for a few weeks or years.
The hepatitis B virus is said to be more complicated than the hepatitis C virus. This is because the infection mechanism of the two viruses is different. In hepatitis C, the virus attacks the cell, takes over cell activity, and causes the cell to become infected. In hepatitis B, the DNA of the virus is circular and is incorporated into the nucleus of liver cells. This makes testing, symptoms, and treatment difficult.
Diffusion and diagnosis
Hepatitis is transmitted through the blood. If infected blood comes into contact with infected blood, the chances of contracting hepatitis B are high. This may be due to sharing needles and tools. Or from any blood transfusion or unprotected sex.
Doctors tend to have several diagnostic processes, as this helps to arrive at an accurate result. First, doctors test the function of the liver and liver enzymes. In case liver enzymes are too high, a blood test is done. Two of the most common diagnostic procedures are:
- Surface Antigen / Antibody TestThese tests are for the antigenic protein of the hepatitis B virus and the antibodies produced by the body’s immune system. In most cases, the antibodies appear after ten weeks of exposure.
- Surface antibody test: This test is done to check if the person is immune to hepatitis B. In this, the tested antibodies are produced after the virus carrying the antigen disappears.
Deals
In the event that a person tests positive for hepatitis B, doctors tend to prescribe vaccines to enhance the immune system. The body’s immune system will fight the virus by creating more antibodies; Once hepatitis B is cleared, the person will be an inactive carrier of hepatitis B antibodies.
In some cases, the person may have a chronic illness. In that case, one will be prescribed antiviral drugs and others. Patients are also advised to eat healthily, stay away from alcohol, and rest in bed to recover quickly.