The ABCs of hepatitis B
- By Team TDO
Hepatitis spreads by sharing dirty needles for drug administration and even during tattoo.
Blood transfusions used to be the prime cause in the past. Now technology is used to screen the blood before transfusion. The most common way in which a person contracts Hepatitis B is through sexual intercourse so using condoms is a must. This virus can attach itself to a person's DNA and it can also attack their immune system; thus making body inefficient to fight against it.
In most of the cases doctors are not able to determine how an individual contracted Hepatitis B. It can be acute or chronic. Numerous deaths occur due to Hepatitis B in the chronic form.
Research and work is going on to develop vaccines and treatments for Hepatitis B. The number of outbreaks of this virus around the world is very serious and many think that in another couple of decades it may reach the same numbers as AIDS if we don't make attempts to control it now.
