HEPATITIS B


INTRODUCTION:

Hepatitis B is a hepadnavirus that is transmitted sexually and from mother to child. Acute Hepatitis B infection in adults is usually mild, and the majority of these infected individuals make a full recovery from the disease. Individuals with chronic hepatitis usually carry the virus throughout their lives with no symptoms of the disease. However, chronic hepatitis B individuals have a much greater risk in developing cirrhosis of the liver and in many cases liver cancer. Males that carry the hepatitis B virus have a 40% chance of developing liver cancer in their lifetime (Michel, 1997). The risk of developing cirrhosis is estimated to be at 20% (Michel, 1997). The link between cirrhosis, liver cancer and chronic hepatitis B is the main reason why there is a need for early and effective treatment of infected individuals as well as the development of vaccines that one day will hopefully lead to the eradication of the disease.