Today marks World Hepatitis Day
Hepatitis B and C kills almost 1.4 million people every year
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is highlighting the urgent need for countries to take action to prevent viral hepatitis infection and to ensure that people who have been infected are diagnosed and offered treatment this World Hepatitis Day.
This year’s theme is ‘Prevent hepatitis. Act now’ and the organisation’s focus is on hepatitis B and C, which together causes approximately 80% of all liver cancer deaths.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and it can affect any individual of any age, including children.
Viral hepatitis is most commonly caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), but D and E viruses also exist.
Other common causes of hepatitis include infections, toxic substances (eg alcohol, certain drugs), auto-immune diseases and metabolic disorders.
In India, it is estimated that prevalence of hepatitis C infection is more than six times that of HIV infection.
Risk factors, symptoms and causes
Hepatitis A is commonly found in children and is usually spread by fecal-oral contact or fecal-infected food and water.
Hepatitis B is spread by contact with blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person. Infants may contract hepatitis B if they are born to a mother who has the virus.
Hepatitis C is more common in adults than in children. Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct contact with human blood and other body fluids.
A baby can also get hepatitis C from his/her infected mother.
Prevention
Like any other diseases, practising good hygiene can help prevent the risk of getting as well as spreading hepatitis. Other preventive measures include vaccinations which are available for HAV and HBV. Unfortunately there’s no vaccine for HCV.
