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Mmwr Hepatitis B

Decent Essays

MMWR Paper on Hepatitis B
Microbiology 212-A
April 27, 2012

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus that affects the liver and belongs to the Hepadnaviridae group (Takkenberg, Weegink, Zaaijer, & Reesink, 2010). According to an article in Vox Sanguines, an international journal of transfusion medicine, (Takkenberg, Weegink, Zaaijer, & Reesink, 2010) “about 400 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HBV, and 2 billion people have serological evidence of past or present HBV infection”. HBV, formerly known as serum hepatitis (Huether & McCance, 2008), has eight genotypes (A-H) with genotype D being associated with viral or acute hepatitis B and prevalent mainly in Europe, North Africa, and the United States …show more content…

Looking at the data provided by CDC (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) during 2010-2011 there is an average incidence of HBV of 8 (per 10 million people) in 2010 and 6 (per 10 million people) in 2011 (appendix C). This decrease of 2 (per 10 million people) from 2010-2011 may just be a coincidence and further analysis of data over a larger period of time would be needed. The decrease of 2 persons may not seem like a lot; however with continued education, vaccination, and awareness of prevention, this could indeed signify a downward trend of acute HBV. The trend of occurrence over the course of each year, 2010 and 2011, shows a steady increase without any major spike or deviations (appendix A & B). With the transmission of HBV being mainly from drug use and exchange of fluids between infected individuals (sexually), there is no factor that should cause a spike. Continuing preventative measures will promote lowering the incidence of occurrence, however until a cure is found HBV will still register a minimal number of cases a year.

References
Adams, M. P., Holland, Jr., L. N., & Urban, C. Q. (2011). Pharmacology for nurses: A pathophysiologic approach (Third ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Department of Health and Human Services. (2011, December 11). Morbidity and mortality weekly

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