The transmission of Hepatitis B, in addition to being spread through the digestive tract, can also be transmitted through blood via injection. For example, blood transfusions, injections with unclean needles and syringes, and acupuncture, surgical, and dental instruments that have not been thoroughly disinfected can all spread Hepatitis B. Furthermore, blood-sucking insects like mosquitoes and bedbugs may also transmit the virus. Pregnant women infected with Hepatitis B can directly transmit the virus to their baby before, during, and after childbirth. Hepatitis B infection in infancy and early childhood can easily lead to chronic Hepatitis B, cirrhosis, and ultimately, liver cancer. The preventive measures for Hepatitis B include:
1. Injection supplies and medical instruments must be strictly sterilized. Simply wiping with 75% alcohol is not sufficient to kill the Hepatitis B virus.
2. Strictly control the quality of blood and blood products. Use the most sensitive testing methods to screen blood sources and blood products for the Hepatitis B virus to prevent its transfusion into the human body. Regularly health-check professional blood donors; those found to be infected with Hepatitis B or to be Hepatitis B surface antigen carriers must not donate blood.
3. Cut off saliva transmission. Hepatitis B virus can be found in the saliva of 50-80% of Hepatitis B carriers. The bad habit of feeding children mouth-to-mouth should be stopped.
4. Block mother-to-child transmission. If mother-to-child transmission can be completely prevented, the number of Hepatitis B surface antigen carriers in China could be reduced by one-third. Currently, there are over 100 million surface antigen carriers nationwide. The best method to prevent mother-to-child transmission is to inject the newborn with one dose of Hepatitis B immune globulin immediately after birth, followed by one dose of Hepatitis B vaccine at 1, 2, and 3 months of age. If Hepatitis B immune globulin is not available, simply injecting the Hepatitis B vaccine is also very effective. The method is to administer one dose of the vaccine at birth, and then one dose each at 1 and 2 months of age.
5. The key points for preventing Hepatitis B from spreading through the fecal-oral route are essentially the same as for Hepatitis A.
6. Blood-sucking arthropods such as mosquitoes, bedbugs, and fleas can also transmit Hepatitis B. It is important to maintain good home and environmental hygiene, bathe and change clothes frequently, and wash and sun-dry bedding often.
7. Isolate and treat patients promptly. The isolation period for Hepatitis B patients is longer than that for Hepatitis A patients.