Viral Hepatitis B: Understanding the Disease and the Role of Agencies in Controlling It

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Table of Contents
Overview.........................................................................................................................................2
The Event.........................................................................................................................................2
The Cycle of Infection.....................................................................................................................3
Positive and negative action and interaction...................................................................................5
The plan for harm, eradication, elimination or reduction................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
Appendix........................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11
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Overview
Hepatitis B is a liver infection that may be life threatening and is caused by a virus called
hepatitis B virus. It is one of the major health issue globally. It may lead to chronic infection that
puts humans at increasing risk of death due to liver cancer and cirrhosis. Hepatitis B is most
widespread in East Asia and sub- Saharan Africa where about 5-10% of adults are chronically
infected. It is also found in the southern parts of central and eastern Europe and in the Amazon at
high rates. In the Indian subcontinent and Middle East 2-5% of population are chronically
infected (World Health Organization., 2015). Whereas in western Europe and North America
less than 1 % population are infected.
This paper will focus on the various aspects of viral hepatitis B and the role of various agencies
in controlling or eradicating this disease. According to the research conducted by CDC (Centers
of Disease Control and Prevention) there were more than 15000 new cases of Hepatitis B in the
U.S. in the year 2013. The rate of new infection was more common in age group between 25
years to 44 years and less likely in younger population of age below 15 years CDC. This clearly
varies the major modes of transmission of virus in adults through sexual intercourse with an
infected person, exposure to infected blood, illicit drug use and consequences of universal
immunization of infants through vaccination (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention., 2013).
There has been a decrease in number of cases to be precise by 82% since 1990 in the US due to
increased vaccination and awareness of HIV and hepatitis B which resulted in practice of safer
sex. The person affected with hepatitis B is said to have an acute infection. The people who are
able to eradicate this virus is said to be cure of infection.
The Event
The world first came to know about hepatitis in 1965 when Dr. Baruch Blumberg examined the
blood samples to discover an antigen which marked the presence of Hepatitis B virus. He was
previously examining the influence of the inherited traits in people in relation to their
susceptibility to the same disease. The main objective of this was to find out whether the genetic
differences were associated with particular disease or not. The doctor with his team travelled to
different parts of the world to collect blood samples of hemophiliac patients who received
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multiple blood transfusions. Later, Dr. Blumberg along with his team members determined an
unknown antigen from the blood sample of Aboriginal people of Australia and named it as
Australian antigen (M.Block, et al., 2016). The detailed research of that antigen, identified the
cause of Hepatitis B.
It is a viral infection that can get transmitted via exposure to semen, blood and other bodily
fluids. It can also be transmitted to the new born babies at the time of birth from an infected
mother or other family members (Borgia, et al., 2012 ). The transmission of this virus occurs
through transfusion of contaminated blood, blood products, contaminated injections for drug use
or medical procedures.
The deadly virus mainly attacks the liver causing various chronic and acute diseases. The virus
can survive for at least 7 days outside the body of the host. The virus at this stage can affect an
unvaccinated person. The average incubation period of this virus is 75 days but it can vary from
30 to 180 days. The Hepatitis virus can be detected after 30 to 60 days of infections (Nettleman
& Mortada, n.d.).
It has been found that East Asia and Sub- Saharan Africa is highly prevalent of Hepatitis B virus.
The healthcare professionals are at higher risk of getting infected because of their day to day
interaction with the patient. Although the vaccination against hepatitis B is available in most of
the countries but it is not often practiced (Mueller & Stoetter, 2015). It has been found that more
than 2 billion people in the world have the history or current evidence of hepatis B infection.
Among these, there are more than 250 million people who are chronic carrier of this disease and
this disease is responsible for more than 600,000 deaths each year.
The Cycle of Infection
The process in which the pathogen passes from one host to another is known as chin of infection.
This chain has 6 individual links which has to remain intact for this chain to be successful. These
are the virus, pathogen that is the cause for the disease, the reservoir: the place where the
pathogen is found, portal of exit: the process by which the pathogen leaves its place, modes of
transmission: the process which explains how the pathogen passes from an infected person to a
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