Transmission:

 

…         Bloodborne

…         Sexual

…         Perinatal

 

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is transmitted by having direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person; for example, one can become infected by having sex or sharing needles with an infected person. A baby can get hepatitis B from an infected mother during childbirth.

 

Clinical Features:

 

…         Symptomatic - Jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, intermittent nausea, vomiting.

…         Asymptomatic - An estimated 50% of individuals in the U.S. infected with HBV show none of the above symptoms of disease.

( Centers for Disease Control Hepatitis B Page)

 

HBV can cause infection at any age. It may lead to chronic infection of the liver and serious disease, especially if it is acquired during infancy or childhood. However, a child may not show signs of infection until years later when he or she develops liver failure and/or liver cancer. (http://www.health.state.ri.us/disprev/communicable/hepa_b.htm)

 

High Risk Groups:

 

…         Injection drug users

…         Sexually active heterosexuals

…         Men who have sex with men

…         Infants/children of immigrants from disease-endemic areas

…         Low socioeconomic level

…         Sexual/household contacts of infected persons

…         Infants born to infected mothers

…         Health care workers

…         Hemodialysis patients (Centers for Disease Control Hepatitis B Page)