Hepatitis B Virus Infection Essay

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Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major public health problem across the globe as it contributes to nearly 1 million deaths annually. It is an infection that basically attacks the liver and has the potential to generate acute and chronic diseases. This communicable disease is mostly transmitted from mother to child during birth. Additionally, HBV is transmitted through contact with body fluids like blood. Since it is a life-threatening condition, the viral infection has received considerable attention in the healthcare sector. Healthcare professionals and other relevant stakeholders have developed various initiatives to help lessen the prevalence of this infection and mitigate its impacts worldwide. This paper analyzes this communicable disease, determinants of health relating to its development, epidemiological triad, and role of the nurse practitioner in the management of the infectious disease.

Analysis of the Communicable Disease

The World Health Organization (2019) defines hepatitis B virus as a viral infection that attacks the liver and has the potential of causing acute and chronic diseases. The two common modes of transmission of the virus are perinatal transmission (from mother to child during birth) and horizontal transmission (through contact with body fluids such as blood). The infection is spread by piercing, needlestick injury, exposure to infected body fluids and blood, and tattooing. Since HBV is a potentially life-threatening condition with high prevalence rates, it is a major public health problem across the globe. HBV can cause chronic infection and increases the risk of people dying from liver cancer and cirrhosis. In essence, the infection results in considerable human morbidity and mortality due to the effects of chronic infection (MacLachlan & Cowie, 2015). Most of the newly infected cases of HBV are asymptomatic while some people have acute illness with symptoms that last for weeks. Some of these symptoms include dark urine, abdominal pain, vomiting, extreme fatigue, nausea, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). The probable complications associated with this infection include acute liver failure, liver cancer, chronic liver infection, and cirrhosis. Since there is no specific treatment for the infection, existing care approaches focus on maintaining comfort and adequate nutritional balance. They include medications using oral antiviral agents like tenofovir and entecavir as well as lifestyle changes like avoiding alcohol.

MacLachlan & Cowie (2015) state that HBV is associated with geographically diverse epidemiology given variations in age, population prevalence, mode of acquisition, and the probability of progression.

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Perinatal transmission accounts for the majority of cases of this viral infection. High prevalence rates of HBV are evident in Asia-Pacific and sub-Saharan African countries. The prevalence rate of this infection in the United State is estimated to be nearly 0.4% (Kim, 2012). People aged between 25-44 years have the highest incidence rates of HBV at 4.0 per 100,000 people while children have the lowest incidence rates at 0.1 per 100,000 people. On the other hand, the incidence rate of HBV is higher in men (2.7 per 100,000) compared to women (1.6 per 100,000).…

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…HBV, nurse practitioners carry out screening and testing programs given that most cases of this infection are asymptomatic. They work with primary care physicians to develop interventions for patients depending on the specific factors relating to the development of the infection. During this process, nurse practitioners conduct follow-up as part of tertiary interventions for HBV management. They provide screening results to primary care physicians for further research and development of evidence-based practice. Nurse Practitioners also carry our follow-up based on screening results, refer HBV patients to primary care physicians, and conduct patient education based on evidence-based practice.

In conclusion, hepatitis B is a viral infection that has developed to become a major public health problem worldwide. The infection, which attacks the liver, is a communicable disease mostly transmitted from mother to child during birth and through contact with body fluids such as blood. The prevalence and incidence rates of this infection differ across populations based on age, country of origin, race, and gender. However, Asia/Pacific Islander and Alaskan Natives races have higher prevalence and incidence rates of HBV infection. In addition to affecting more men than women, the infection is common among people aged between 25-44 years. The development of this infection is influenced by social factors such as barriers to testing, cultural factors, ecological factors, lack of access to medical care, and country of origin. Given the lack of a specific treatment, the management of HBV focuses on maintaining comfort and adequate nutritional balance. Nurse practitioners play an important….....

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