Promoting hepatitis’ prevention, diagnosis and therapy

Medical experts say that Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection as well as inflammation of the liver, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
They note that these viruses constitute a major global health risk, with about 240 million people in the world infected with hepatitis B and about 150 million people having hepatitis C infection.
The theme for the 2013 World Hepatitis Day is: ``This is hepatitis. Know it. Confront it.” July 28 of every year is designated as the World Hepatitis Day to commemorate the birthday of a Nobel Laureate, Prof. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus.
This year’s observance underscores the fact that hepatitis remains a serious health hazard in the world. This is because most of the people who are afflicted with hepatitis B or C are not aware that they carry the virus; hence they are at the risk of developing severe chronic liver disease and they can unknowingly transmit the virus to other people.
Medical experts say that that hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterised by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ.  They say that the condition can be self-limiting (healing on its own) or can progress to fibrosis (scarring) and cirrhosis.
Hepatitis can occur with limited or no symptoms but it often leads to jaundice, anorexia (poor appetite) and malaise, some of the experts say.
Hepatitis viruses cause most cases of hepatitis worldwide but hepatitis can also be caused by toxic substances (notably alcohol, certain medications, some industrial organic solvents and plants), other infections and auto immune diseases, they add.
However, Dr Gabriel Ogunyemi, a member of the Society for Gastroenterology and Herpetology of Nigeria (SOGHIN), says that early vaccination is paramount in hepatitis prevention efforts. He insists that that the increasing number of liver cancer cases in Nigeria could be attributed to undetected and untreated hepatitis infections.
Besides, Ogunyemi says that hepatitis virus could survive outside the body for at least seven days, reiterating that vaccination is the only way of preventing people from being infected.
``Hepatitis B virus is transmitted between people through direct blood-to-blood contact or semen and vaginal fluid of an infected person.
``The modes of transmission are the same as those for HIV but the Hepatitis B virus is 50 to 100 times more infectious as it can survive outside the body for at least seven days. During this time, the virus can still cause infection if it enters the body of a person who is not protected by the vaccine,” he says.
Ogunyemi stresses that Hepatitis B has acute and chronic stages, with few or no symptoms during the previous stages.
``If acute hepatitis is not treated as soon as possible, it can cause chronic liver infection, which can later develop into liver cancer,” he says.
All the same, Dr Tajudeen Salami, a General Practitioner at General Hospital, Isolo, Lagos, insists that prevention of hepatitis is cheaper than its treatment. He says that although people with chronic Hepatitis B could be treated with drugs; the treatment could cost thousands of dollars per year, adding that most of the drugs are not even available in many developing countries.
Salami, nonetheless, advises people with high-risk sexual behaviour, those injecting drug users and health workers, whose occupational risks include contacts with patients suffering from of Hepatitis B infection, to get vaccinated.
``People should also avoid sharing sharp objects and toothbrushes; not even couples, as they are at a high risk of getting infected. People should also get tested regularly, so that if they have the disease, they can be treated early before it degenerates into the chronic stage,” he says.
Beyond that, Dr Olaleye Adewale, a Gynaecologist at the General Hospital, Gbagada, Lagos, stresses that mothers should vaccinate their babies at birth since prenatal hepatitis transmission is common among them.
``Mothers should, therefore, ensure that their children are vaccinated immediately, four and 24 weeks after birth, especially in the areas where mother-to-child transmission of the virus is rife. Children and adolescents under 18 years, who are not previously vaccinated, should also receive the vaccine. The complete vaccine sequence induces protective antibody levels in more than 95 per cent of infants, children and young adults. Vaccine protection lasts at least 20 years and is possibly life-long,’’ he says.
The last World Hepatitis Day provided an opportunity to focus on specific actions, such as strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis and its related diseases.
The celebration also aimed at increasing Hepatitis B vaccine coverage and integrating vaccination schemes into national immunisation programmes, while coordinating a global response to viral hepatitis.
Analysts say that even though the burden of disease as to hepatitis infection is very high, structured efforts should be made to tackle the health problem in a more pragmatic way.
``It is important for everyone to know his or her hepatitis status to facilitate early detection, prevention and proper management of the disease,’’ they add. (NANFeatures)*