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Running Header: Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B
Jonathan Bland
Pathophysiology
Prof. Lori McGowan

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Running Header: Hepatitis B

A 40-year-old man has chronic hepatitis B. What may be the cause of his condition?
Describe the pathophysiology of hepatitis B. Hepatitis B otherwise known as HBV and formally
called serum hepatitis, is a partially double-stranded DNA virus. The whole virion is often
called the Dane particle. HBV infection is transmitted primarily by infected blood but found in
many body secretions. Blood transfusions are currently processed to reduce the risk of
transmission. Intravenous drug abusers have a high incidence of HBV infection (Gould, 2006).
What are the signs of preicteric and icteric stages of acute hepatitis? Preicteric and icteric
are the first stages that develop with patients suffering from Hepatitis. In the preicteric stages
the first signs may be insidious, with fatigue and malaise, anorexia and nausea, and general
muscle aching. Sometimes fever, headache, a distaste for cigarettes, and mild upper right
quadrant discomfort are present. Serum levels of liver enzymes (e.g., aspartate
aminotransferase [AST] or alanine aminotransferase [ALT]) are elevated (Gould, 2006).
In the icteric stage, the onset of jaundice can be seen in the patients skin and eyes as his
serum bilirubin levels rise. As biliary obstruction increases, the stools become light in color, the
urine becomes darker, and skin becomes pruritic. The liver is tender and enlarged
(hepatomegaly), causing a mild aching pain. In severe cases, blood-clotting times may be
prolonged, because the synthesis of blood clotting factors is impaired. This stage tends to last
longer in patients with hepatitis B (Gould, 2006). What serum markers are found? For each
type of Hepatitis there are different markers in the blood that can be detected. For HBV, HBsAg,
anti-HBs, HBcAb IgM, HBcAb IgG, HBeAg, HBeAb.

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Running Header: Hepatitis B

Is cirrhosis likely to develop and what pathophysiological changes are taking place? In the
course of hepatitis B infection many things can occur. First is the exposure to Hepatitis B where
the patient will be asymptomatic on average 6-8 weeks. Then the acute infection occurs and
last anywhere from 4-12 weeks. The patient then goes to the preicteric stage, which leads to
jaundice from there the patient could go to the fulminant infection which is sever necrosis and
liver failure which results in the patients death. Also from the Icteric stage where he develops
jaundice he could go to recovery or chronic infections. If he doesnt seek treatment when he is
in the chronic infection state he could develop a long-term mild infection or cirrhosis (liver
failure) or hepatic cancer. If the patient developed ascites, edema, esophageal varices, or
respiratory infections, what might be happening? The patient is developing hepatic
encephalopathy. This is where the liver enlarges and there is obstruction of bile ducts and
blood flow by fibrous tissue. The patient would need a liver transplant to stay alive.

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Running Header: Hepatitis B

Works Cited
Gould, B. E. (2006). Pathophysiology for the Health Professionals, 3rd Edition. Philadelphia: W.B.
Sauders.