The World Health Organization has sought to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, but lack of awareness remains the biggest roadblock, say doctors. Viral hepatitis is responsible for 1.4 million deaths every year across the world. India shares a large chunk of this burden, but most people are not aware of their status of infection nor of the disease itself, which in turn prevents them from taking steps to curtail the spread.
“Awareness among people is very low about the hepatitis virus. Many of those infected do not opt for treatment as they are asymptomatic,” said Dr. Somasekhar Rao, senior consultant gastroenterologist with Apollo Hospitals, based on experiences from screening camps he conducted across the State. During the camps, Dr. Somasekhar and his team found high incidence of hepatitis C infections in Mahabubnagar district. They suspect that use of unsterile needles for medical and tattooing purposes for more than two decades may have resulted in the first spread of the virus. Subsequently, sexual contact between husband and wife, transmission from mother to baby during birth could have fuelled the spread. So far, the team has screened around 16,000 people. Among those screened in some mandals of Mahabubnagar, as many as 15 per cent tested positive for either HCV or HBV.
Five hepatitis viruses — A, B, C, D and E — cause inflammation of the liver (known as hepatitis). Hepatitis B and C infections are most common forms of the disease which are spread through contact with contaminated blood or other bodily fluids. Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water. HBV and HCV infections are among the common infections in Telangana. Hepatitis A and E infections are mostly self-limiting and seen during outbreaks. Though there is no cure for hepatitis B, a vaccine exists. Recent drugs have rendered HCV curable. HCB and HCV can cause chronic infections with risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Doctors say everyone should learn about the disease and get screened, as mass screening programmes are difficult to implement in the country. Identifying a hepatitis infection at an early stage can help prevent a chronic infection.
