Hepatitis B Pathophysiology

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Hepatitis B is something I am not too familiar with, so in doing this paper I learned a lot of new information. I have heard people talk about hepatitis C frequently but not Hepatitis B. In reading this, I’m hoping you will earn just as much about this disease as I did.

Pathophysiology
Hepatitis B is a severe infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus also known as HBV. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepadnavirus, with the virion consisting of a 42-nm spherical, double-shelled particle composed of small spheres and rods and with an average width of 22 nm. It is an exceedingly resistant virus, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and humidity (Medscape 2014). Hepatitis B can be transmitted from person to person by means of: …show more content…
Acute hepatitis B is an infection lasting less than six months. Acute hepatitis B is more commonly seen in adults. There were 2,895 reported cases of acute hepatitis B in 2012, representing an estimated 18,760 acute cases (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2014). Chronic hepatitis B is an infection lasting six months or longer. Globally, chronic Hepatitis B affects approximately 350 million people (CDC 2014). When your immune system cannot fight off the acute hepatitis infection it then turns into a chronic infection (Mayoclinic 2014). A chronic hepatitis infection can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer and eventually mortality. Approximately two to four thousand people die every year from Hepatitis B-related liver disease (CDC …show more content…
A hepatitis viral panel can test blood samples for current and previous hepatitis infections. The hepatitis viral panel can also test for different types of hepatitis A, B, and C (MedlinePlus 2014). The hepatitis panel is made up of multiple tests that detect either the hepatitis antigen or our body’s production of an antibody to the hepatitis virus (CDC 2014). There are no special instructions to be performed before or after taking this blood test. A liver biopsy can also be ordered to help determine if there is any liver damage present. Liver damage is a major sign of a hepatitis
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