The control of hepatitis is a raging problem worldwide. Nearly 500 million people are victims of Hepatitis worldwide, which gives an idea of the enormity of the problem. Breaking it down to an understandable estimate, it is one in every 12 people worldwide, suffering the disease.

Hepatitis is a disease that is caused due to inflammation of liver cells, leading to damage of the liver. The main cause behind Hepatitis is the ‘Hepatitis Virus’, although triggers in other forms exist such as -bacterial infections, intake of drugs, and excessive alcohol.

A recent report has estimated that the havoc caused by the hepatitis virus- Hep C or HCV which led to an increase in the number of deaths by 123 percent in the United States.

Peek into the Condition

Viral hepatitis, as the name suggests is triggered by a virus that causes inflammation of liver cells. Many different viruses - hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E are behind the attack of viral hepatitis.

Hepatitis B, C, and D can cause chronic hepatitis that can even last a lifetime. The dangerous part about these viruses is that in some cases it could lead to life threatening conditions such as liver cancer, liver failure and cirrhosis.

The symptoms of viral hepatitis manifest in some victims. Some of them may not portray any symptoms. However, common symptoms are:

• Fatigue
• Low grade fever
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Hepatitis A is considered the mildest of the three forms and is usually without any long-term side effects. It is mainly transmitted through food or water, contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Contact with infected blood also causes Hepatitis A, although this mode of transmission is rare.

The vulnerability to Hepatitis A increases with frequent travel to international locations, sex with an infected person, exposure to regions where vaccinations are uncommon. Vaccination for children between 12 and 23 months is recommended as a good prevention measure.

Hepatitis B caused by the HBV virus is the most dangerous, triggering chronic liver infection. Nearly 10% of Hepatitis B victims battle long term liver infection. In many cases, Hepatitis B causes irreparable liver damage, leading to death. This disease, considered far more contagious than AIDS, is spread by infected blood, vaginal secretions, seminal fluid, saliva, open wounds and breast milk. It can also be conveyed from mother to a child during delivery, irrespective of the type of delivery. Sex with an infected person also causes its spread.

International travelers, sex with multiple partners, homosexuals, injection drug users, and babies born to infected mothers are at high risk of hepatitis B.

The hepatitis B vaccine affords effective protection against the attack of the virus. Not sharing of personal items with infected persons can reduce the level of transmission. Treatment generally employs the use of medication such as alpha interferon and peginterferon that arrest the proliferation of the virus in the body, and strengthen the immune system.

Hepatitis C, caused by the HCV virus, is a blood-borne infectious disease. Almost 200 million people worldwide are infected by the HCV virus, making it the most common disease in the world, also called an ‘epidemic’ by the WHO.