i) People should be aware of the route of transmission of the disease and precaution should be taken accordingly.
ii) Vaccine should be taken.
Yes, Hepatitis-B vaccine can prevent the disease.
i) The first dose should be taken as early as possible.
ii) The second dose should be taken at one month interval.
iii)The third dose should be taken after six months from the second dose.
The Dose Schedule of the vaccine is given below:
The amount of vaccine is 0.5 ml in case of a person below ten years .Above ten years it is 1.0ml. It should always be taken in the muscle, situated in the upper part of the arm (deltoid muscle).
Hepatitis-B vaccine is almost free from any side effects.
There is no requirement of the booster dose for general people. Booster dose is only required in persons of professional fields or blood donors.
Yes, Hepatitis –B is almost curable.
When the liver is damaged with persistent inflammation the liver cells will die. Some other cells (stellate) and fibers (collagen) encircle the dead cells & all became fibrosed and ineffective. This type of agglomeration of dead liver cells, fibers stellate cells will lead to cirrhosis of liver.
The complications of Cirrhosis are as follows:
i) Hepatic encephalopathy (incoherent talk, indifferent behavior etc.)
ii) Ascites
iii) Edema
iv) Intractable Jaundice
v) Variaceal bleeding is occasionally seen in advanced stage
vi) Renal failure
The guidelines for cirrhosis patients are as follows:
i) In primary stage of cirrhosis there should not be any change in life style.
ii) If tiredness is felt take rest in between work.
iii) In cirrhosis there is breakdown of protein in the body so in the initial stage the protein intake should be high.
iv) If there is edema or ascites no extra salt, medicine should be taken correctly.
v) If there is temperature or abdominal pain in cirrhosis patient –consult doctor as it be due to other bacterial infection or ascitic fluid infection.
Liver Cancer is the malignant growth in the liver.
The causes of liver cancer are as follows:
i) Chronic HBV infection
ii) Chronic HCV infection
iii) Haemochromatosis
iv) Alcoholic Liver Disease
v) Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
vi) Exposure to toxins such as arsenic
vii) Estrogen, Androgen& Anabolic steroids rarely causes
The symptoms of Liver Cancer are as follows:
i) Aflatoxin contamination of food
ii) Fever
iii) Weight Loss
iv) Anorexia
v) Weakness
vi) Abdominal pain
The signs of Liver Cancer are as follows:
i)A large irregular liver or abdominal mass
ii) Ascites
iii) Intra abdominal bleeding
Detection of liver cancer:
i) Imaging-reveals one or more filling defects
ii) Laparoscopy-Reveal the tumor
iii) Liver tissue aspiration-biopsy
iv) Serum alpha fetoprotein measurements (elevated values of serum alpha fetoprotein in liver cancer.)
v) Ultrasonography- abnormality in shape & size
© LIVER FOUNDATION, WEST BENGAL -