Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus infection is mainly prevalent in China and some other Asian countries. Approximately one-tenth of the Chinese population are carriers of the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B, along with tuberculosis and AIDS, ranks among the most common infectious diseases in the world. Hepatitis B is the 10th leading cause of death globally, with approximately 350-400 million people worldwide infected with the hepatitis B virus, a number more than eight times higher than those infected with HIV. Hepatitis B, also known as serum hepatitis or HBV, is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is transmitted through blood and body fluids and has a chronic carrier state. Because it can be transmitted through sexual contact, it is internationally classified as a sexually transmitted disease. Hepatitis B is widely prevalent in China with a high population infection rate, reaching over 35% in some regions. The clinical manifestations of hepatitis B are diverse, and it tends to progress to chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, with a small number of patients potentially developing primary hepatocellular carcinoma. After infection with the hepatitis B virus, the main symptoms include: aversion to oily food, right upper quadrant discomfort, dull pain, general fatigue, mental confusion, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, aversion to oily food, diarrhea, etc. Generally, patients with hepatitis B may present with low-grade fever. As the condition worsens, patients may develop jaundice, spider nevi (mostly appearing on the face, neck, and chest, but may also occur in other areas. They manifest as small round hemangiomas with a central diameter of less than 2 mm, from which many capillaries extend with branches, resembling a red spider lying on the skin. If the center is pressed with a pencil tip, the spider nevus will disappear), liver palms (patchy congestion, or red spots or plaques, appearing on the skin of the thenar and hypothenar eminences at the base of the thumb and little finger, which turn pale upon pressure. This is a palm appearance different from that of normal people), and other symptoms, indicating severe liver damage and abnormal liver function. At this point, the patient should seek hospital treatment as early as possible to avoid missing the optimal treatment opportunity. If treatment is delayed, there is a possibility of progression to cirrhosis.