First Discoveries on Viral Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis is a very common infectious disease responsible for causing more than 1.5 million annual deaths among afflicted patients. Despite the fact that extensive data reports on viral hepatitis have been first established at the beginning of the 20th century, the causes of the disease remained unknown until the 1940s, when the implication of a new virus in triggering the disease was first revealed. Performing additional research on hepatitis, virologists have later discovered two major distinctive types of hepatitis: hepatitis type A and hepatitis type B. Concerned by the increasing numbers of hepatitis cases due to blood transfusions, medical scientists have conducted a series of more elaborate medical investigations in order to identify conclusive facts regarding the occurrence and progression of hepatitis.
Intrigued by the fact that increasingly larger numbers of persons who received blood transfusions experienced symptoms such as high fever, chills and skin rashes, doctors decided to carefully analyze a series of immune reactions to foreign proteins in blood samples taken from such persons in order to reveal the exact sources of their symptoms. After comparing the immune reactions of the persons who had been administered blood transfusions with those of people in good health, medical scientists were able to reveal a type of protein that rarely reacted with antibodies produced by the immune system.
Due to the fact that the analyzed immune reaction was extremely rare, medical scientists concluded that it wasn't caused by genetic particularities in the human blood, but by a certain type of infectious agent. The discovered infectious agent later received the name of antigen Aa. After continuing their research on blood proteins, doctors discovered a correlation between antigen Aa and hepatitis. Researchers later concluded that antigen Aa was actually a component part of the virus identified to cause hepatitis B.
The findings determined medical scientists to take additional measures in preventing the occurrence of hepatitis among the population. By testing blood transfusions for the presence of the causative virus, scientists hoped to reduce the risks of transmitting hepatitis from one individual to another. The method used to detect the presence of the virus in the blood was given the name of radioimmunoassay. In present, this technique is still used to test the integrity and safety of blood transfusions and other blood products. Appreciated for its efficiency and reliability, radioimmunoassay is the predecessor of today's modern techniques used in blood screening.
Another breakthrough consisted in finding an effective vaccine against hepatitis. For the first time in history, the main curative agent used in creating the vaccine was actually a modified strain of the causative virus. By altering the virus in the laboratory and introducing it in a vaccine, virologists were able to stimulate an immune reaction to that particular virus in the human body. A few years later, the ongoing research conducted on hepatitis led to another crucial discovery: the HCV - hepatitis C virus. Short after, medical scientists came up with efficient vaccines for all existing hepatitis virus types: A, B and C.
Over a period of only a few decades, doctors discovered valuable facts on hepatitis, as well as efficient methods of preventing its transmission. Thanks to the remarkable findings of several pioneer virologists and biologists, medical science was revolutionized and the mystery around many different viral infectious diseases was finally unveiled.
If you want to find out more resources about hepatitis c information or even about hepatitis you should visit this website http://www.hepatitis-guide.com
Related Tags: hepatitis, hepatitis c information
If you want to din out more info about Battlestar Galactica or How Battlestar Galactica Made it in America, please visit this link http://www.buddytv.com/
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Dental Insurance For Individual Can Be Of Help At Time
Dental problem may cost one a lot of money and pain. But, practicing a reasonable care could decreas - Personal Trainer For Perfect Health
There is a general misconception that need for a fitness trainer comes for novice or from those who - Varicose Veins - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
The majority of people after thirty notice the changes that appear with the maturing. In this case t - Scenar Therapy - Self-treatment Or Healing Partnership
Do you want to learn about a device which will help you to ease your pain? If you get this kind of a - Scenar - 5 "no, Nos" Of Scenar
Are you fed up with the pain in your body? Various parts of our body seem to ache due to different r - Scenar Device - 5 Tips On Travelling With Your Scenar (skenar) Device
You might be aware of scenar which has become quite popular these days. This is actually the acronym - Scenar Therapy - How To Treat Your Pet With Scenar
There are many alternative methods of treatment that are being invented these days. Lots of people a - Your Options For The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is considered to be a surgical illness. Due to its severe character, the treatment for - How To Choose The Right Copd Medication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD does not have any cure. But with the help of medicines - Septic Arthritis: Infectious Agents Penetrate Joints' Spaces
Another major type of arthritis is septic arthritis, which is also known in various terms like: pyog
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl