Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).It can cause both acute and chronic disease and hence has become a major global health problem.The virus was discovered in 1965 by Dr. Baruch Blumberg.

0

Originally, the virus was called the "Australia Antigen" because it was named for anAustralian aborigine's blood sample that reacted with an antibody in the serum of an American hemophilia patient.It can cause chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.However, a safe and effective vaccine that offers 98% to 100% protection against hepatitis B.

1

Worldwide, chronic hepatitis B and C cause 80% of all liver cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death.Therefore, a vaccine that protects against a hepatitis B infection can also help prevent liver cancer.Working with Dr. Blumberg, microbiologist Irving Millman helped to develop a blood test for the hepatitis B virus.

2

Blood banks began using the test in 1971 to screen blood donations and the risk of hepatitis B infections from a blood transfusion decreased by 25 percent.Four years after discovering the hepatitis B virus, Drs. Blumberg and Millman developed the first hepatitis B vaccine, which was initially a heat-treated form of the virus.

3

Current Recombinant Hepatitis B Vaccines:In 1986, the research resulted in the second generation of genetically engineered (or DNA recombinant) hepatitis B vaccines.These newly approved vaccines are synthetically prepared and do not contain blood products - it is impossible to get hepatitis B from the new recombinant vaccines that are currently approved in the United States.

4

HBV infection is a global public health issue, affecting more people than HIV, andranked the 7th leading cause of mortality worldwide in 2013.Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines since the 1980s, the availability of successful treatment since 1991, and the implementation of universal vaccination programs [11], HBV is still endemic in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated seroprevalence of 6.1% [12].

5

As of 2015, 257 millionpeople were living with chronic HBV infection.In Ghana, this situation is not any different, where HBV remains a huge public health issue.Although there is currently the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, Ghana is considered an endemic zone with a prevalence of 8.36%For some people, hepatitis B infection becomes chronic, meaning it lasts more than six months.

6

Having chronic hepatitis B increases your risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis — a condition that permanently scars the liver.Hepatitis B signs and symptoms may include:1.Abdominal pain2.Dark urine3.Fever4.Joint pain5.Loss of appetite6.Nausea and vomiting7.Weakness and fatigue8.

7

Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)Caution: If you think you have these signs or symptoms of hepatitis B, contact your doctor.Preventive treatment may reduce your risk of infection if you receive the treatment within 24 hours of exposure to the virus.However, signs and symptoms of hepatitis B range from mild to severe.

8

They usually appear about one to four months after you've been infected, although you could see them as early as two weeks post-infection.Some people, usually young children, may not have any symptoms.CausesThe hepatitis B infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus is passed from person to person through blood, semen, or other body fluids. It does not spread by sneezing or coughing as many believe so.

9

Let's look at some common ways by which HBV is spread.Hepatitis B spreads through contact with blood, semen, or other body fluids from an infected person. Your risk of hepatitis B infection increases if you:1.Have unprotected sex with multiple sex partners or with someone who's infected with HBV2.Share needles during IV drug use3.Aman who has sex with other men4.Live with someone who has a chronic HBV infection5.

10

Is an infant born to an infected mother6.Have a job that exposes you to human blood7.Travel to regions with high infection rates of HBV, such as Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and Eastern EuropeHepatitis B infection may be either short-lived (acute) or long-lasting (chronic).Acute hepatitis B infection lasts less than six months.

11

Your immune system likely can clear acute hepatitis B from your body, and you should recover completely within a few months. Most people who get hepatitis B as adults have an acute infection, but it can lead to chronic infection.Chronic hepatitis B infection lasts six months or longer.It lingers because your immune system can't fight off the infection.

12

Chronic hepatitis B infection may last a lifetime, possibly leading to serious illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.The younger you are when you get hepatitis B — particularly newborns or children younger than 5 — the higher your risk of the infection becoming chronic.Chronic infection may go undetected for decades until a person becomes seriously ill from liver disease.

13

People with chronic hepatitis B infection have an increased risk of liver cancer. People with chronic hepatitis B may develop kidney disease or inflammation of blood vessels.Acute liver failure is a condition in which the vital functions of the liver shut down. When that occurs, a liver transplant is necessary to sustain life.PreventionThe hepatitis B vaccine is typically given in three or four injections over six months.

14

You can't get hepatitis B from the vaccine.The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:1. Newborns2. Children and adolescents not vaccinated at birth3. Those who work or live in a center for people who are developmentally disabled4. People who live with someone who has hepatitis B5. Health care workers, emergency workers, and other people who come into contact with blood6. Anyone who has a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV7.

15

Men who have sex with men8. People who have multiple sexual partners9. Sexual partners of someone who has hepatitis B10. People who inject illegal drugs or share needles and syringes11. People with chronic liver disease12. People with end-stage kidney disease13. Travelers planning to go to an area of the world with a high hepatitis B infection rateAccording to the Ghana National Hepatitis Elimination profile.

16

In 2021, the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE) 2021 launched the National Hepatitis Elimination Profile (N-HEP) Initiative to accelerate progress toward hepatitis elimination.The prevalence of chronic HCV was estimated to be at 3.0% nationally in 2016 while the national prevalence of chronic HBV was estimated to be between 8.36% (2020) and 12.30% (2016).Deaths related to HBV and HCV continue to rise.

17

From 2015 to 2019, there was a 7% increase in HBV-related deaths and an 8% increase in HCV-related deaths, the opposite direction of the WHO 2020 goal of reducing HBV and HCV-related deaths by 10% from 2015 to 2020.Ghana has achieved the 2020 Sustainable Development Goal target of HBV prevalence among children under 5 years of age under 1%.

18

The lack of up-to-date national data on HBV and HCV is a major roadblock to informing national planning in Ghana.Surveillance and reporting systems are not yet established for tracking incidence, mortality, or the number of persons tested and treated.

19

The future for hepatitis elimination is bright for GhanaThe Ghana National Hepatitis Elimination Profile highlights the next steps agreed upon by these partners include;Establishing a national hepatitis elimination strategy and also improving  strategic information by developing an electronic data management system and expanding the surveillance system.Reduce mother-to-child transmission of HBV and HCV by introducing a Hep B birth dose policy.

20