Theory of Hepatitis B Development - Essay Example

The virus can take somewhere between weeks and months to clear the body in such cases. The infection can be deadly, however, and is most lethal in infants. The disease can also become life-threatening if it becomes mixed with different life problems.
Currently, there are several different solutions to the virus. Antiviral treatments are available, as well as several different immune system boosters. New antivirals are always under investigation. Vaccines have also been developed in preventing the spread of the disease. Health workers and even some college campuses are now requiring this vaccine. The vaccine is highly effective, as it greatly reduces the number of viral incidents, as well as reduces the risk of liver cancer.

Body:
The Hepatitis B virus is a double-stranded DNA virus (Hepatitis). When it enters a host cell, it locates the cell’s nucleus and changes the cell to produce viral proteins. Viral RNA is also produced and transferred to the cytosol of the cell, where it translates the viral polymerase and core proteins. Using the polymerase protein the RNA is then converted into genomic DNA, and then the mature core particle leaves the cells through normal passageways (Hepatitis).
The transfer of this possibly deadly virus happens between fluid contact of people. The virus can be transferred through “unprotected sexual contact, blood transfusions, re-use of contaminated needles and syringes, and vertical transmission from mother to child during childbirth”(Hepatitis). In low-risk areas, drug abuse and unprotected sex are the main forms of virus transfer. In high-risk areas, however, the passing of the virus from the mother is much higher, it can even reach a 90 percent chance of a mother passing the virus to her child(Hepatitis). The risk percent for unprotected sexual partners, however, is only about 16-40 percent(Hepatitis).
The symptoms and complications of the virus can vary according to the classification of the infection. There are two classifications of the virus, the infection can either be “acute” or “chronic”(Hepatitis).
Most people who develop the disease will pass it, and have only an acute infection. Almost 95 percent of adults who receive the infection pass the virus unharmed and with full viral immunity from future infections(Hepatitis). However, only 5 percent of newborns who contract the virus will eventually clear the infection. If this is the case, in any age group, and the infection is not cleared, the case becomes chronic and life-threatening.
The chronic infection can either work by itself, or it can be associated with chronic inflammation of the liver (Hepatitis). This also leads to a high risk of liver cancer, and if the infection does not pass, can lead to death.
Different treatments are available to help both cases of the virus. Treatments are available in; “antivirals such as lamivudine and adefovir and immune system modulators such as interferon alpha” (Hepatitis). These work by reducing the viral load of the virus, helping the body to clear the infection quicker.
Vaccines have also been developed to help prevent the spread of the virus. They rely on the “viral proteins, either hepatitis B surface antigen or HBsAg”(Hepatitis). Many different countries are now using this vaccine to help prevent the spread of this virus. The vaccine is extremely helpful in stopping the spread of the disease, and healthcare workers and even some college students are now being required to have had the vaccine(Hepatitis).

Conclusion:
While Hepatitis B may be a possibly deadly virus, the fight against it is raging on. With the many advancements in vaccines and treatments, the spread of the virus has been controlled in most of the countries taking such initiatives. Smaller, poorer countries, however, may not be able to fully afford the vaccine, and help must be given to them. Taiwan put forth a nationwide Hepatitis B prevention program in 1984 and found it to be highly successful in preventing the disease through the use of vaccines and treatment. It also brought down other cancer-like diseases, so the vaccine can be thought of as an early “anti-cancer” vaccine.
Even though most people will pass the disease easily, the most easily infected group is infants and recent borns, and this group also has the highest infection rate. Precautions have been invented to try to control these numbers, such as treatments given to Hepatitis B positive mothers just before birth. These medicines have been able to reduce the transfer rate of the virus down to 95 percent, but that is still quite high. The treatment also allows the mother to breastfeed her child, which many mothers would find important to be able to do.
Vaccines are also a huge part of combating the virus. A unique recent advancement is an ability to produce Transgenic fruit that acts as a vaccine. This enables the vaccine to be eaten easily by mouth. The most desirable plant for use such as this is the banana, as it is cost-efficient and available around most of the world.