Consider the following statements :

1. Hepatitis B is several times more infectious than HIV/AIDS

2. Hepatitis B can cause liver cancer

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.

Key Points

• Hepatitis B:
  • It is a liver disease that is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
  • The virus is known to interfere with the functions of the liver and causes pathological damage.
  • It can be both acute or chronic disease.
  • HBV is spread by contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person.
• HIV/AIDS:
  • The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects the immune system of humans and subsequently results in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
  • AIDS is a condition in which the immune system weakens and the human body becomes susceptible to life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers.
  • HIV can be spread through sexual intercourse, transfusion of infected blood, infected mother to her infant during pregnancy, and breast milk.
• According to the World Health Organisation HBV is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV, although both the viruses get spread in the same way, i.e., by contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• HBV can also cause liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. A small percentage of infected people can not get rid of the virus and become chronically infected. Such people are at higher risk of death from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hence, statement 2 is correct.