HEPATITIS B VIRUS

HBV is a hepatotrophic virus and causes an acute hepatitis after an incubation period that ranges between six weeks and six months. Following acute disease most people recover, the mortality rate being about 1% in hospitalised patients. Presentation of infection ranges from subclinical, which can be diagnosed only by laboratory tests, to fulminant liver diseases with necrosis and death.

HBV is transmitted in the health care setting by parenteral exposure to infected tissues, including blood or other body fluids. The virus may also be transmitted by exposure of mucous membranes, such as eyes, nose and mouth to infected material.

the risk of transmission of HBV following exposure to the blood of an infected person ranges from 2% if HBV e antigen (HBeAg) is absent, to 40% if HBeAg is present.

Standard precautions are sufficient to minimise the risk of transmission of HBV.

HBV is a highly infectious virus and high concentrations of viral particles are found in the blood of symptomatic hepatitis B sufferers and asymptomatic hepatitis b carriers, particularly those who are HBeAg positive. Despite the high infectivity of hepatitis B, there is only a single well-documented case of transmission of hepatitis B by endoscopy.

Clinical studies following up patients who have been endoscoped on the same endoscopy list as known hepatitis B positive patients have prodiced no evidence of infection. Hepatitis B virus is moderately sensitive to the majority of chemicals. However, failure to remove blood, mucous and protein coagulums will inactivate some chemicals. This means that the virus will be protected from the chemical's action.

source :  http://www.health.qld.gov.au/EndoscopeReprocessing/module_1/1_3e.asp

This video presentation is made to educate public about Hepatitis B virus (HBV) that cause chronic liver infections and to promote Hep B vaccination. There is no copyright. Use the video as you wish for the common good.