Hepatitis B viruses. Coloured transmission elect- ron micrograph (TEM) of hepatitis B viruses (large green circles), a cause of liver inflammation. Th

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Hepatitis B viruses. Coloured transmission elect- ron micrograph (TEM) of hepatitis B viruses (large green circles), a cause of liver inflammation. The smaller circles and the rod-shaped objects are surplus viral coat (capsid) protein from infected liver cells. These non-infectious antigens (foreign proteins) are used to make vaccines against hepatitis B. The complete viruses are called Dane particles. Hepatitis B is transmitted by infected blood passed mainly through sexual intercourse or the sharing of needles by intraven- ous drug users. Symptoms include headache, fever, weakness and jaundice. Magnification unknown.

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Size: 4793px × 3497px
Photo credit: © DR LINDA STANNARD, UCT/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: antigens, biology, capsid, causing, coat, coloured, dane, disease, electron, hepatitis, infection, infectious, liver, microbiology, micrograph, multiple, particles, pathogenic, protein, tem, transmission, virion, virology, virus, viruses