The world marks World Hepatitis Day on July 28th each year in an effort to heighten global awareness around viral hepatitis. The focus for 2020 is a “Hepatitis-free future” with major attention drawn to preventing Hepatitis B among newborns and mothers.
Hepatitis Explained
The term hepatitis defines inflammation of the liver, which presents as an irritation or swelling of the liver cells. This inflammation can be acute, showing symptoms such as jaundice, fever, and vomiting, or chronic, lasting more than six months typically without evident symptoms.
Causes of Hepatitis
The condition is predominantly caused by hepatotropic viruses, which specifically target the liver. These include Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Beyond these, other viruses like the varicella virus responsible for chicken pox and SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19, may also cause liver injury leading to hepatitis. Other causes comprise drug and alcohol abuse, fatty liver hepatitis that results from fat buildup in the liver, and autoimmune hepatitis where the body’s own antibodies attack the liver.
Treatment Options
Typically, Hepatitis A and E are self-limiting diseases, healing on their own without specific antiviral medication. For Hepatitis B and C, viable medications are available that prove to be effective in treatment.
Global Impact of Hepatitis
Hepatitis B and C collectively account for the majority of deaths resulting from this disease, claiming 1.3 million lives annually. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, 194 governments globally adopted the WHO’s strategy in 2016 aiming at eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.
Hepatitis Scenario in India
In India, about 40 million people are chronically infected with the Hepatitis B virus and between 6 to 12 million people with the Hepatitis C virus. In response to this issue, the Indian government launched the National Viral Hepatitis Program in 2018, which constitutes the world’s largest program for Hepatitis B and C diagnosis and treatment.
As a note, Hepatitis B is included under India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) which provides free vaccination against eleven vaccine-preventable diseases including Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Pneumonia and Meningitis due to Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib), Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Rotavirus diarrhea.
Efforts to Control Hepatitis
Certain countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Thailand have become the first four countries in the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia region to have successfully controlled Hepatitis B.
On another front, an automatic testing device called ‘COBAS 6800’ was recently introduced, specifically designed to detect viral Hepatitis B & C among other things, including coronavirus.
It’s worth noting that only four diseases- HIV-AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Hepatitis, have disease-specific global awareness days that are officially endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).