How to Prevent Hepatitis B

What to do to prevent hepatitis

More than 350 million people worldwide are living with some form of hepatitis virus. This virus infection can cause complex and incurable diseases like liver failure, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer from simple jaundice.

What is 'hepatitis'?

Any inflammatory disease of the liver is called 'hepatitis'. Liver inflammation is mainly caused by 'hepatitis virus'.

Liver inflammation due to virus infection is called 'viral hepatitis'.

The problem of Hepatitis

Hepatitis 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E' - basically these five types of virus cause 'hepatitis'. More than 350 million people worldwide are living with some form of hepatitis virus. 9 out of 10 people with hepatitis do not know they have it. Every 30 seconds a person dies from hepatitis B or C virus.

Hepatitis virus infection can lead to complex and incurable diseases ranging from simple jaundice to liver failure, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer.

What are the types of hepatitis and what are their signs/symptoms?

Hepatitis is mainly of two types.

'Acute hepatitis' or transient hepatitis

Acute hepatitis is usually caused by hepatitis 'A', 'B' and 'E' viruses. Acute hepatitis usually presents with symptoms such as jaundice, loss of appetite, weakness, abdominal discomfort, and nausea. Acute hepatitis usually resolves completely within weeks to months.

'Chronic hepatitis' 

Hepatitis 'B' and 'C' virus infection can cause long-term inflammation of the liver. Chronic inflammation can lead to chronic diseases such as hepatitis B and C viruses, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

What are the symptoms of liver cirrhosis?

♦ Body feeling weak.
♦ Jaundice.
♦ Watery swelling in abdomen and legs.
♦ Vomiting of blood.
♦ Tarry black soft stools.
♦ Fainting etc. are the main symptoms of liver cirrhosis. Early stages may be asymptomatic.

Resistance of hepatitis

Hepatitis 'A' and 'E' viruses are usually spread through water and food contaminated by the faeces of infected people. Therefore, clean water, food, good quality waste and sewage management and personal hygiene and healthy living are needed to prevent these two viruses.

Hepatitis 'B' and 'C' virus

These two viruses are mainly spread from person to person through blood. Apart from this, during birth, the infected mother's body is spread to the child's body, through unsafe sexual intercourse, and if one person uses a toothbrush, nail cutter, or razor, it spreads from one person to another. Hepatitis 'B' and 'C' viruses are not spread through food, water and touch or breathing.

What is chronic hepatitis 'B' infection In adults, hepatitis 'B' virus can be eliminated from the body in about 90 percent of cases, usually within six months without any prescription. About 10 percent of the remaining people have the virus after six months. On the other hand, if the hepatitis 'B' virus enters the child's body from the mother's body during birth, the virus remains for life in almost 90 percent of cases. 

Chronic hepatitis B infection is the condition that persists even after six months of infection. A section of patients infected with this chronic 'B' virus are at risk of developing 'liver cirrhosis' and 'liver cancer' later. Hepatitis 'B' virus cannot be completely eradicated by drugs discovered so far, but drugs to control it are readily available in Bangladesh.

What is chronic hepatitis 'C' infection?

About 80 percent of hepatitis C virus remains in the body for life after six months after entering the body. This persistent 'C' virus is called chronic hepatitis 'C' virus and patients with chronic hepatitis 'C' virus are at risk of developing 'liver cirrhosis' and 'liver cancer' later. Hepatitis 'C' virus can be completely eradicated with just 12 weeks of oral medication.

Is there an effective vaccine against hepatitis?

Hepatitis 'A' and 'B' virus can be prevented by vaccination. Although there is no effective vaccine for hepatitis C virus, there are 100% effective drugs. Hepatitis E virus vaccination is available in some countries, but most countries of the world still do not have a universally accepted vaccine.

When to take hepatitis 'B' virus vaccine?

Newborns can be vaccinated with 'B' virus within the first 24 hours of birth. In Bangladesh, newborns are being vaccinated against hepatitis B virus with EPI vaccine. However, an adult person can get hepatitis B virus vaccine anytime at any age. It should be remembered that hepatitis 'B' virus vaccination not only prevents jaundice, but also liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. A total of three hepatitis 'B' virus vaccinations are to be administered at zero, one and six months intervals.

Remember

Kabiraji, herbal medicine never eradicates jaundice or hepatitis 'B', 'C' and other viruses. As a result of taking these medicines, there is a risk that the affected patients will get worse due to liver damage.

World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day is celebrated on July 28 every year to raise awareness about viral hepatitis among the public. American doctor Baruch Samuel Bloomberg accidentally discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967 while researching the effect of genetics on various diseases at the National Institute of Health.

After the discovery of hepatitis 'B' virus, hepatitis 'A', 'E' and finally hepatitis 'C' virus were discovered in 1989. World Hepatitis Day is observed on this date to commemorate the birth date of scientist Bloomberg (1925-2011). The theme of this year's World Hepatitis Day is 'Hepatitis treatment within reach'. '

Thank you

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