Final answer:
Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and body fluids, being most infectious during the acute phase, with an incubation period of 6 weeks to 6 months. High-risk individuals like intravenous drug users, sexual partners of infected persons, and healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable. Vaccination, safe sexual practices, and proper handling of needles and sharp instruments are vital in preventing HBV transmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is known to be transmitted via blood and body fluids such as semen or saliva. It is most infectious during the acute phase of the infection when the virus is actively replicating, and this heightened state of infectivity can increase the risk of transmission through activities that involve exposure to blood and bodily fluids. The incubation period, which is the time between exposure to the virus and the onset of symptoms, can range from 6 weeks to 6 months, with a mean incubation period of 120 days.
People who are most at risk include those who use intravenous drugs, engage in unprotected sexual contact with an infected person, or healthcare workers who may be exposed to needles and other sharp instruments. HBV can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. The chronic form of the infection can lead to serious complications such as cirrhosis or liver failure and is more likely to develop in infants infected at birth. Fortunately, there is a HBV vaccine recommended for children and high-risk adults which significantly reduces the risk of infection.
While infectious diseases can be contagious during different periods of disease, with HBV, the acute phase is particularly critical for transmission. This is why preventing exposure during this phase through vaccination, proper handling of needles and other sharp instruments, and safe sexual practices is paramount in controlling the spread of the virus.