Did you know that daily, 3 500 lives are lost to viral hepatitis? The disease is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, with the number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis increasing by 1.3m deaths per year.
Despite this, hepatitis seems to be one of those illnesses that most people are aware of but know very little about.
As the focus turns to World Hepatitis Day, July 28, it is a reminder of the silent epidemic that affects millions worldwide.
According to Denelle Morais, the marketing and communications manager at the Bestmed Medical Scheme, hepatitis is an inflammatory liver condition commonly caused by a viral infection.
“However, there are other causes, including autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis resulting from medications, drugs, toxins and alcohol,” Morais said.
Types of hepatitis and their causes:
• Toxic hepatitis: Caused by chemicals, drugs and nutritional supplements.
• Alcoholic hepatitis: Caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
• Autoimmune hepatitis: The immune system mistakenly attacks the liver.
Morais added that non-viral hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure and is three times more common in women than in men.
Viral hepatitis is the type you hear about more often, including hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, each caused by different viruses.
The ABCs of hepatitis:
• Hepatitis A: Transmitted through contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infected person. A vaccine is available.
• Hepatitis B: Spreads through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. It can cause acute and chronic disease and is preventable by vaccines.
• Hepatitis C: A bloodborne virus often leading to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. There is no vaccine, but antiviral treatments are effective.
• Hepatitis D: Requires hepatitis B for replication and is preventable by hepatitis B immunisation.
• Hepatitis E: Transmitted via the faecal-oral route, primarily through contaminated water. A vaccine exists but is not widely available.
She further revealed that symptoms of hepatitis vary based on whether it is viral or non-viral.
“Non-viral hepatitis symptoms can appear quickly and include jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, itching, rash, fatigue and loss of appetite. For viral hepatitis, symptoms include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, dark urine, pale stools, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and jaundice.
“Half the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C infections is among people 30 to 54 years old, with 12% among children under 18 years of age, and men accounting for 58% of all cases,” Morais added.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 4.5m premature deaths could be prevented in low- and middle-income countries by 2030 through diagnostic tests, medicines and, importantly, vaccinations.
She explained that vaccines are vital to preventing hepatitis, and the collaboration between medical schemes and healthcare providers in promoting hepatitis vaccinations and making them accessible cannot be overstated.
In addition to vaccines, other preventative measures include:
• practising good hygiene;
• having good food preparation habits;
• avoiding untreated water; and
• safeguarding against contact with contaminated objects or bodily fluids.
This year’s theme, ‘It’s time for action’, highlights the need for collaborative action.
“By raising awareness, we can increase access to prevention, testing and treatment. Ultimately, we can contribute to the WHO’s goal of reducing new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% by 2030,” Morais concluded.
