About hepatitis B, false statement is:
Ans. (a) Veical transmission is more impoant than horizontal Epidemiology of HBV Endemic throughout the world Based on the carrier stage, countries can be divided into three categories: High Endemicity: (> 8%) Veical transmission is more common Intermediate Endemicity: (2-8%) India belongs to this category. Veical = Horizontal transmission Low Endemicity: (<2%) European countries Horizontal transmission is more common Mode of transmission: Inoculation of infected blood or blood products, sexual contacts, veical (Mother to fetus). Overall greatest number of cases results from heterosexual transmission. In India blood transfusion related infections are equally common. Period of communicability: Virus is present in body secretions and blood during the incubation period (for a month before jaundice) and acute phase of disease. Period of communicability is usually several months (occasionally years in chronic carriers) or until disappearance of HBsAg. Outome of HBV infection is age dependent with chances of acute hepatitis is directly propoional to age and occurs in 1% of perinatal, 10% of early childhood and 30% of late (> 5 years age) HBV infection. Development of chronic HBV infection is inversely related to age and occurs in 95% of infants infected perinatally, 5-10% infected after 5 years of age. Remember: Period of infectivity for HAV: 2 weeks before and 1 week after the onset of jaundice.
Veical transmission is more impoant than horizontal
Communicable period lasts for months
Virus can be found in blood 1 month before jaundice
Age of onset determines the prognosis