Hepatitis B

As the name suggests, the hepatitis B disease is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The hepatitis B virus is a very dangerous type among the hepatitis viruses. The hepatitis B virus can cause liver cirrhosis and even cancer if undetected and treated in time. What are the causes for the spread of the hepatitis B virus? Apart from inheriting from one’s mother, hepatitis B can be acquired by the use of contaminated needles, blood transfusion and sex with affected partners. Promiscuous heterosexuals and homosexuals also are at a high risk of contracting hepatitis B. hepatitis B infection is one of the major health problems of the world and it is estimated that about two million people in the world are affected by hepatitis B. there are about 350 million chronic hepatitis B infected people in the world, a majority of them with significant liver problems.

A hepatitis B vaccine has been in existence since the year 1982 and this hepatitis B vaccine has been proved successful in vaccinating 95% of the people against this dangerous disease. The hepatitis B vaccine works by producing sufficient antibodies against the hepatitis B virus and has saved millions of children from getting infected by this virus. Almost all the countries of the world today have a hepatitis B vaccine program due to the efforts of the World health Organization, which had passed a resolution in 1992 to actively persuade all countries to participate in the global hepatitis B vaccine program. The hepatitis B vaccine program consists of 3 doses, the second after a month’s gap from the first dose and the third at six months from the first dose.