Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver.It has a number of different causes,the most common being damage caused by a virus .Hepatitis B is one of the viruses that can damage the liver.other include Hepatitis A,C,D and E viruses,and sometime,the Epstein-Barr (glandular fever) virus and cytomegalovirus (CMV).Hepatitis B virus (or HBV)multiplies in the liver cells.
How Does hepatitis B spread?
- Hepatitis B is spread by contact with blood and other bodily fluids,usually thriugh a breach in the skin or contact
- with internal lining surfaces of the body.The various ways people can acquire hepatitis B include:
- from a carrier mother to her baby at around the time of birth.this is the most common way for the virus to spread .
- by use of inejction drugs(at any time in the past or present).
- by sexual contact.
- by blood transfusion
- by tattooing with unsterilised needles
- by accidental inoculation (i.e needle stick)or spalashing with infected blood or secretions(e.g health care workers)
