Download Infectious Disease Outline

Kristina McIntosh
Infectious Disease
Hepatitis b
DIS- Dr. Harris
Hepatitis B
Infectious diseases are disorders caused by organisms. Bacteria, fungus, or parasites are all
organisms that can cause an infectious disease (McMichael). Many of these organisms live in and
around our bodies but most of the time they are harmless, sometimes even helpful. Some organisms,
however, are capable of causing disease under certain conditions. Personal health is influenced by daily
activity. Exposure to influenzas, physical activity, food consumption, sexual activity, and urban air
quality are also contributors that influence our health (McMichael p.22). Infectious diseases play a vital
role in human evolution, economics, and behavior. Hepatitis B is a prime example of a dynamic and
potentially devastating virus that has had a major impact on mankind. This paper will review a history
of Hepatitis b as well as it's mechanism of action and it's effect upon humanity (McMichael).
Hepatitis b is a part of the hepadnavirus family. It consists of a lipid envelope and an
icosahedral protein capsid underneath. It is a DNA virus. This virus is a non-retro virus that still uses
DNA reverse transcriptase for replication which has caused hepatitis B to be referred to as a
pararetrovirus. The virus uses cell surface proteins to induce it's own endocytosis and then releases it's
DNA into the nucleus of the host cell. RNA and protein transcription soon follow and this is how the
hepatitis b replicates in the liver.
Hepatitis is the swelling or inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis b is a virus that attacks the
liver. It is the most common serious liver infection in the world. One out of every three people in the
world have been infected and one out of twenty people in the united states have hepatitis b. Five
thousand people will die each year from hep b and its complications, forty thousand people will
become infected. An Estimated 1 million people will die each year from hep b worldwide.
The liver is the largest organ in your body a little larger then a softball. The liver is one of the
most important organs within our body. It stores iron and sugar to give you energy, clears the blood of
wastes such as alcohol, drugs, and poison, and is what helps clot our blood when we are bleeding. The
liver is what produces bile which our body uses to breakdown and digest fats. The liver is so important
that we would only survive no more then two days once it shuts down. It is also regenerative, it
rebuilds tissue if any is damaged or removed.
With Chronic hep b the liver is constantly being attacked by the virus. Some of the effects of
the disease are fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Fibrosis of the liver is the scarring
process caused by cells in the liver responding to constant injury. The scaring and half healing causes a
disruption in blood flow and disruption in the livers natural processes. Fibrosis leads to cirrhosis, after
large areas of the liver have become permanently scarred, nodules begin to form. Because the blood
can no longer flow its normal course the liver begins to shrink and the areas are not getting enough
blood become hardened. When cirrhosis continues to worsen, liver failure can occur. Once this happens
the liver is unable to clear our blood of wastes such a alcohol, drugs, and poisons mentioned earlier. It
can no longer clot bleeding and store iron and sugar for energy. Hepatitis b causes 80% of all primary
liver cancers. Most common in African Americans between the ages of 45-56 ("Center for Disease
Control and Prevention").
The hepatitis virus has different strains which have different means of transmission. Hep b is
one hundred times more infectious than the AIDS virus. Hep A is the most common strain of the
hepatitis virus and generally resolves on its own leading to no long term liver damage. Hep A is
contracted when a person eats or drinks something that has been in contact with infected feces.
Hepatitis b and c remain in the body resulting in chronic disease. Hepatitis a and b have vaccines
however, hep c does not. Hep c is a contagious virus that has a large spectrum of severity. It can last
only a few weeks or can lead to a lifelong infection. It is contracted through the blood of an infected
person, mainly through the sharing of contaminated needles. Hep c can be acute or chronic. Acute
infection is a short term illness that happens within the first 6 months after contact with the virus. This
acute infection generally leads to a long term chronic illness. This is when the hep c strain stays in the
person body, dormant. Hep c can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The most common risk factor for
liver cancer is chronic infection, people infected with hep b are 100 times more likely to develop liver
cancer than an uninfected person due to the liver's constant state of inflammation, destruction, and
attempted healing ("Hepatitis B and Primary Liver Caner").
Hep b can be spread through blood to blood contact, from an infected woman to her newborn
during the delivery process, unprotected sex, and the use of unsterilized needles.
The Greek word ecology translates directly into household, and it refers to the relationship between
plants, animals, and the environment (McMichael). To understand how a disease establishes itself and
survives one must not just look at each case individually but examine the disease within the scope of
the host population. How does this disease effect a community? This disease effects communities
immensely and often times is surrounded by a a lot of controversy. In many states as well as countries,
cities have adopted the NASEN organization. NASEN is the acronym for North American Syringe
Exchange Network. NASEN in other countries is known as a Needle & Syringe Programme or Syringe
Exchange Programme. These programs offer safe and clean needle exchange to eliminate the risk of
spreading infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis (“NASEN”). These non-profit organizations
think of themselves as being health interventionists, while some make accusations that these programs
are providing the addiction to the addict or that they are offering the drug without any risk, making it a
flawless high. This disease causes a lot of disruption and negative attention to communities. This
sometimes holds people and communities back instead of collectively moving forward to rid the
epidemic.
There are only vaccines for both A and B. Though a generally just runs its course and naturally
rids itself from the body Hep B does not and needs medical attention. There is no cure for Hep c. There
is a simple blood test that allows you to find out if you have been infected. There is an effective vaccine
to protect against hepatitis b. For those who have already contracted the virus there are new treatments.
The hep b vaccine was first called “anti-cancer vaccine” by the FDA, because of the prevention of
chronic hep b infections results in the prevention of primary liver cancer due to hep b. The vaccine
does not protect the liver against cancer due to hep c infections.
Daily activity seems to be a constant battle for the body against many different ailments.
Depending on our personal choices, environment, along with a variety of vaccinations and other
factors we have a chance at fighting diseases like hepatitis. Although hepatitis a happens by chance, it
is up to us, those who are not already infected, to take precautions not getting hepatitis b and c. There
are only antibiotics for hep a. Once infected, there are only minimal vaccines and procedures that can
be taken if caught earlier enough but the chances are unlikely. It is important for people to be aware at
the severity of this disease and understand that there is no cure.
Works Cited:
"Centerfor Disease Control and Prevention." Hepatitis in African Americans. Division of Viral
Hepatitis, 03 Mar 2013. Web. 16 Mar 2014. <http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/populations/AACHepC.htm>.
"Hepatitis B and Primary Liver Caner." Hepatitis B Foundation. Hepatitis B Foundation, 06 Mar 2014.
Web. 16 Mar 2014. <http://hepb.org/index.html>.
McMichael, Tony. Human Frontiers, environments and disease Past patterns, uncertain futures.
University Press, Cambridge: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 2001. Print.
"NASEN." North American Syringe Exchange Network. N.p., 03 Mar 2014. Web. 16 Mar 2014.
<http://www.nasen.org/>.