Health and Me

Aarushi Bhadury

<span>Hepatitis B</span>, known to affect millions each year, is one of the most infectious diseases in the world. Being the cause of death for 820,000 people every year, multiple organizations like UNICEF, WHO and Hepatitis Foundation, emphasize how important the vaccines are to ensure the safety of children. 

However, the <span>Hepatitis B vaccine</span>, that is mandatory in many countries like India, is now under scrutiny in US. In recent news, the importance of Hepatitis B vaccines has been questioned. Robert F Kennedy junior, the US health Secretary, and Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Advisory committee will review and vote on the recommendations for Hepatitis B, measles-mumps-rubella-varicella and COVID-19. 

The group is expected to vote on whether to recommend that the hepatitis B vaccine, which is currently given to newborns, be delayed until children are four years old. 

This is a big departure from the current practice, which has been in place for more than 30 years. Since this vaccine was recommended for all newborns, the number of hepatitis B cases in children and teens has dropped by 99%. 

The reasoning they gave behind this decision, as the new chairman of the ACIP, Martin Kulldorff, explained is that delaying the vaccine for newborns might be a good idea if the mother is not known to have the virus. He has said that since the disease is mainly spread through sexual contact and drug use, a newborn who is not at high risk doesn't need the vaccine right away. 

<h2>What Is Hepatitis B And Can It Be A Fatal? </h2>

Hepatitis B is a serious viral liver infection that poses a significant threat to global health. According to the Hepatitis B Foundation, it is the leading cause of liver cancer, the second deadliest cancer worldwide. The virus is highly contagious—up to 100 times more infectious than HIV. 

The infection can be short-lived and severe (acute) or long-term (chronic). A chronic infection can put people at a high risk of developing life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer, explains the World Health Organization. 

<h2>When Was Hepatitis B Discovered? </h2>

The story of the vaccine begins in 1965, when Dr. Baruch Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus, a finding that later earned him a Nobel Prize. He and microbiologist Irving Millman went on to develop a blood test for the virus. 

By 1971, blood banks began using this new test to screen blood donations, which significantly reduced the risk of getting a hepatitis B infection from a blood transfusion. A few years later, the two scientists created the very first hepatitis B vaccine. 

The virus is most commonly transmitted through contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids, including saliva, vaginal fluids, and semen. It can also be passed from a mother to her child during birth. Other ways the virus spreads include: 

<ul><li>Needlestick injuries</li><li>Tattooing and piercing with unsterilized equipment</li><li>Sharing or reusing contaminated needles, especially among people who inject drugs.</li><li>Sexual contact, particularly among unvaccinated individuals with multiple partners.</li></ul>

It is much more common for the infection to become chronic if it is acquired during infancy or early childhood (about 95% of cases) compared to adulthood (less than 5% of cases). This is why vaccinating infants and young children is a top priority. 

<h2>How Can You Identify Hepatitis B? </h2>

Many people who are newly infected with hepatitis B have no symptoms at all. However, some people may experience an acute illness lasting several weeks with symptoms such as: 

<ul><li>Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)</li><li>Dark urine</li><li>Severe fatigue</li><li>Nausea and vomiting</li><li>Abdominal pain</li></ul>

<h2>What Is The Best Way To Prevent Hepatitis B? </h2>

In 1981, a more advanced vaccine called "Heptavax" was approved for public use. This vaccine was made from the blood plasma of people infected with the virus. The blood was carefully treated with heat and other methods to inactivate the virus, making the vaccine safe. However, this type of vaccine was later discontinued and is no longer used in the U.S. 

A major step forward came in 1986 with the development of a second generation of hepatitis B vaccines. These new vaccines are genetically engineered and do not contain any blood products. They are made synthetically, which means it is impossible to get hepatitis B from the modern vaccines used in the United States today. 

According to WHO, about 304 million people around the world are living with chronic hepatitis B or C, and most of them don't have access to the testing and treatment they need. 

To aid future immunization, WHO has created a plan to eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health problem by 2030. The goal is to dramatically reduce both new infections and deaths. However, this needs quick action without sustained action viral hepatitis is projected to cause millions of new infections, liver cancer cases, and deaths by 2030. 

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Hepatitis B, known to affect millions each year, is one of the most infectious diseases in the world. Being the cause of death for 820,000 people every year, multiple organizations like UNICEF, WHO and Hepatitis Foundation, emphasize how important the vaccines are to ensure the safety of children. However, the Hepatitis B vaccine, that is mandatory in many countries like India, is now under scrutiny in US. In recent news, the importance of Hepatitis B vaccines has been questioned. Robert F Kennedy junior, the US health Secretary, and Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Advisory committee will review and vote on the recommendations for Hepatitis B, measles-mumps-rubella-varicella and COVID-19. The group is expected to vote on whether to recommend that the hepatitis B vaccine, which is currently given to newborns, be delayed until children are four years old. This is a big departure from the current practice, which has been in place for more than 30 years. Since this vaccine was recommended for all newborns, the number of hepatitis B cases in children and teens has dropped by 99%. The reasoning they gave behind this decision, as the new chairman of the ACIP, Martin Kulldorff, explained is that delaying the vaccine for newborns might be a good idea if the mother is not known to have the virus. He has said that since the disease is mainly spread through sexual contact and drug use, a newborn who is not at high risk doesn't need the vaccine right away. What Is Hepatitis B And Can It Be A Fatal? Hepatitis B is a serious viral liver infection that poses a significant threat to global health. According to the Hepatitis B Foundation, it is the leading cause of liver cancer, the second deadliest cancer worldwide. The virus is highly contagious—up to 100 times more infectious than HIV. The infection can be short-lived and severe (acute) or long-term (chronic). A chronic infection can put people at a high risk of developing life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer, explains the World Health Organization. When Was Hepatitis B Discovered? The story of the vaccine begins in 1965, when Dr. Baruch Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus, a finding that later earned him a Nobel Prize. He and microbiologist Irving Millman went on to develop a blood test for the virus. By 1971, blood banks began using this new test to screen blood donations, which significantly reduced the risk of getting a hepatitis B infection from a blood transfusion. A few years later, the two scientists created the very first hepatitis B vaccine. How Does Hepatitis B Spread? The virus is most commonly transmitted through contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids, including saliva, vaginal fluids, and semen. It can also be passed from a mother to her child during birth. Other ways the virus spreads include: Needlestick injuriesTattooing and piercing with unsterilized equipmentSharing or reusing contaminated needles, especially among people who inject drugs.Sexual contact, particularly among unvaccinated individuals with multiple partners.It is much more common for the infection to become chronic if it is acquired during infancy or early childhood (about 95% of cases) compared to adulthood (less than 5% of cases). This is why vaccinating infants and young children is a top priority. How Can You Identify Hepatitis B? Many people who are newly infected with hepatitis B have no symptoms at all. However, some people may experience an acute illness lasting several weeks with symptoms such as: Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)Dark urineSevere fatigueNausea and vomitingAbdominal painWhat Is The Best Way To Prevent Hepatitis B? In 1981, a more advanced vaccine called "Heptavax" was approved for public use. This vaccine was made from the blood plasma of people infected with the virus. The blood was carefully treated with heat and other methods to inactivate the virus, making the vaccine safe. However, this type of vaccine was later discontinued and is no longer used in the U.S. A major step forward came in 1986 with the development of a second generation of hepatitis B vaccines. These new vaccines are genetically engineered and do not contain any blood products. They are made synthetically, which means it is impossible to get hepatitis B from the modern vaccines used in the United States today. Can Hepatitis B Be Eliminated? According to WHO, about 304 million people around the world are living with chronic hepatitis B or C, and most of them don't have access to the testing and treatment they need. To aid future immunization, WHO has created a plan to eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health problem by 2030. The goal is to dramatically reduce both new infections and deaths. However, this needs quick action without sustained action viral hepatitis is projected to cause millions of new infections, liver cancer cases, and deaths by 2030. 