O hepatitis B virus It is more common and much more contagious than the HIV virus. Many Brazilians are carriers of this virus, but do not even suspect that they live with it. Most often, carriers only discover it when the liver is already destroyed, diagnosed with cirrhosis or organ cancer. Learn more about this disease that silently affects about 2 million Brazilians.
How is the disease transmitted?
THE Hepatitis B It is transmitted by a virus through sexual intercourse, from the mother to the fetus or through the blood. The disease affects millions of Brazilians, but the group with the highest incidence of the disease is that of manicures and women who do their nails in beauty salons.
Manicures work with injury-causing equipment that is mostly not properly sterilized, so they are more prone to the virus coming in contact with contaminated blood. To avoid problems, many clients choose to bring their own supplies to the salon. Even so, contagion can happen if the manicure does not wash hands and does not wear gloves.
What happens to the virus carrier?
Most of the time the virus enters the body and is naturally eliminated, only 5% of virus carriers develop the virus. disease that is absolutely asymptomatic. Because it has no symptoms, it is common for the carrier to live with the virus unknowingly, which leads to hepatitis B being discovered too late, when the only treatment option is liver transplantation.
What is the treatment?
As in most cases hepatitis B is discovered when the carrier's liver is already compromised, the only way out is organ transplantation. The problem is that there are no livers available for all patients. On the other hand, in cases where the disease is diagnosed earlier, expensive and time-consuming treatment is with an antiviral.
How to prevent Hepatitis B?
THE hepatitis B can be prevented with vaccination. For some groups, such as doctors, nurses, manicurists, laboratory technicians, jailers, and patients with chronic low immunity diseases; The vaccine is free, offered by SUS. Those not included in these groups should pay for the vaccine.
Either way, it is necessary to take three doses, which can be a complication, as many people take the first dose, forget about the others and are therefore not immunized.
Although hepatitis B is a serious disease, it is not in evidence. It is much more common to see AIDS prevention campaigns than hepatitis B. That is why AIDS involves a moral discussion, as well as being a more interesting disease? for the media; which is extremely worrying. Very few people are well informed about the risks this disease can bring and this can cause terrible damage to the population. Maybe this is the time to shift focus.
Update on Hepatitis B and C (March 2024)
- Prevention and Treatment
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