History and Importance of World Hepatitis Day
Every year, July 28 is celebrated as the World Hepatitis Day by the World Health Organisation. The date of 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus. In 2010 – The idea of World Hepatitis Day originated in Cuttack, Odisha. July 28 was proposed as the day to in honor of Nobel Laureate Baruch Samuel Blumberg, discoverer of the hepatitis B virus, whose birthday on that date.
Hepatitis infects more than 350 million people worldwide. While it is one name, it’s a group of infectious diseases. Five types of hepatitis infections are possible: A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A is always an acute, short-term disease, while hepatitis B, C, and D are most likely to become ongoing and chronic. Hepatitis E is usually acute but can be particularly dangerous in pregnant women.
Hepatitis B vaccine
These are the different types of hepatitis
Hepatitis A is passed on when an uninfected person consumes food or water that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person.
Hepatitis B can be transmitted through semen, vaginal fluids, and blood and it can pass from a mother to a newborn during delivery. Sharing needles and having unprotected sex can lead to hepatitis B.
Hepatitis C is contracted through contact with another person who is infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Hepatitis D spreads when infectious body fluids (blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal fluid) come into contact with body tissues beneath the skin (through needle puncture or broken skin) or mucous membranes (the thin moist lining of many parts of the body like mouth, throat, and genitals).
Hepatitis E is transmitted through poop or if you drink or eat something that has been in contact with the stool of someone who has the virus.
Depending on the type of hepatitis, many people don’t develop symptoms in the early stages. As a result, an estimated additional 3 million people in the world are infected but don’t know it. Routine testing lowers these numbers. However, those who need the screenings most may not know how to access them.
These are the symptoms of a hepatitis infection
Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain or discomfort, loss of appetite, dark urine, joint pain, yellowing of the skin, sore muscles, itchy skin, and joint pain are some of the common symptoms of hepatitis. And hepatitis A usually doesn’t require treatment because it’s a short-term illness. Bed rest may be recommended if symptoms cause discomfort. You should consult a doctor and opt for the hepatitis A vaccine, if you haven’t already.
Hepatitis B can be tackled with the help of vaccination. People with hepatitis C are treated with a combination of antiviral drug therapies. Hepatitis D can be prevented by getting the vaccination for hepatitis B, as infection with hepatitis B is necessary for hepatitis D to develop.
No specific treatment is available to treat hepatitis E because the infection is often acute and it typically resolves on its own. That said, hepatitis E can be dangerous in pregnancy. Hepatitis B can be transmitted from mother to child during delivery so special precautions need to be taken.
This is how you can lead a hepatitis-free life
Hepatitis can be self-limiting or progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis, or liver cancer. It is the need of the hour to tackle hepatitis at the right time and prevent the worst outcome of the disease.
Hepatitis B vaccine is a must
This year’s theme is ‘hepatitis-free future’ and the focus is on preventing hepatitis B (HBV) among mothers and newborns via safe and effective vaccines.
The development of an HBV vaccine using HBsAg protein from HBV carriers as the immunogen to induce anti-HBs, the protective antibody against HBV infection, is a great leap forward. Prevention of HBV infection by immunization is the best way to eliminate HBV-related diseases too. The HBV vaccine is safe and effective.
Hepatitis C vaccine can help too
Patients with drug addiction can receive hepatitis C treatment on the history of their past or current drug use status and can get back to normal life.
Other risk factors associated with hepatitis include cirrhosis and liver cancer. Moreover, the disease contributes to 399,000 deaths worldwide each year.
On July 28, health care organizations in 100 countries will offer free screenings. There may also be other public vaccination drives or public awareness campaigns. At the end of the year, the World Health Organization and the World Hepatitis Alliance organize a report detailing all the events across the world.
Each year focuses on a specific theme. The list of themes is as follows:
2011: Hepatitis affects everyone, everywhere. Know it. Confront it. Confront her.
2012: It’s closer than you think.
2013: More must be done to stop this silent killer.
2014: Hepatitis: Think Again
2015: Prevention of viral Hepatitis. Act now.
2016: Know Hepatitis-Act now.
2017: Eliminate Hepatities.
2018: Test. Treat. Hepatitis.
2019: Invest in eliminating hepatitis.
2020: Hepatitis Free Future
