Peter Neefjes

29/05/2016

Did u know that the largest muscle in the body is in the buttocks and the smallest muscle is in the ear?

02/05/2012

HEPATITIS B
Caused by the Hepatitis B Virus.
Major health burden worldwide.
2 – 3 billion exposed to infection worldwide and
350 – 400 million of these have chronic infection.(infection lasting more than 6 months)
50 million in sub-Sahara.
WAYS OF TRANSMISSION
1. From mother to child at birth (perinatal)
2. By contact with an infected person (horizontal) through body fluids like saliva, sweat.
3. By s*xual contact: homos*xual or heteros*xual
4. Blood transfusion
source of infection cannot be identified in about 35% of cases
How does it show?
Most affected people do not show any signs or symptoms. A few may show the following:
• Anorexia(loss of appetite)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Low-grade fever
• Myalgia(muscle pain)
• Fatigability
• Disordered gustatory acuity and smell sensations (aversion to food and ci******es)

What are the effects of the virus.
In most people, the infection goes away on its own(even without treatment) but in about 20% of people who get infected, the disease goes on beyond 6 months(becomes chronic) and may eventually lead to liver cancer.
How is it diagnosed?
When the virus enters the body, antibodies are produced against these viruses. Detection of these antibodies in a person’s blood indicates the person has the infection.
How is it prevented?
Hepatitis B infection can be prevented by taking the vaccine for the virus. However you need to check your blood to see you are not infected before taking the vaccine. If you are infected, there is no need for the vaccine and you need to be treated.
A SIMPLE VACCINE CAN SAVE YOU FROM CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE(CIRRHOSIS) AND LIVER CANCER. GET TESTED AND TAKE THE VACCINE.

14/12/2011

SOMETHING ABOUT HEPATITIS
"Hepato" means liver, "itis" means inflammation(swelling, redness, heat, loss of function, pain). So hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.
CAUSES OF HEPATITIS
1)Infective
2)Non-infective
Infection is mainly(but not always) due to viruses(called Hepatitis A, B,C,D,E, and G viruses)
Non-infective causes may be alcohol, drugs, etc.
NOW LET US CONCENTRATE ON VIRAL HEPATITIS
As already mentioned, viral hepatitis is due to Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E AND G viruses)
HEPATITIS B is the commonest.
Hepatitis A and E are transmitted from mouth to anus(that is from the faeces of an infected person to another person through the mouth)
HEPATITIS B is transmitted mainly through s*x but also through blood transfusion, infected needles used for injection or from mother to child during birth. Hepatitis C is transmitted mainly through blood transfusion but also through s*x and infected needles. Hepatitis D requires HEPATITIS B for its infection(i.e anybody with Hep D also has Hep B infection but not everybody with Hep B has HEP D infection. Hep G can be transmitted by any of the the means by which HEP B, C and D is transmitted.
TO BE CONTINUED................................

13/12/2011