Liver is a vascular glandular organ in vertebrates that secretes bile, stores and filters blood, and takes part in many metabolic functions, for example, the conversion of sugar into glycogen. Hepatitis is the disease that targets liver and could give rise to many serious complications like liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. In this disease liver is unable to function normally and swells. This condition is due to a virus. There are many types of Hepatitis, A, B, C, D and E but the most dangerous are hepatitis B and C.
About 350 million people throughout the world are suffering from hepatitis B and C. Seventy five percent sufferers of this fatal disease are in Asian sub-continent. The disease is also widespread in Pakistan especially in rural areas. Pakistan had 10 percent hepatitis B sufferers and four percent of Hepatitis C sufferers.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) over 200,000 people die each year from this deadly disease. Therefore, it is dangerous more than AIDs.
Health-care experts say that Hepatitis B and C emerged as global health problems. Hepatitis if not guarded against through proper planning, would kill over 50 percent of the world population in the next 15 years.
Pakistan with an estimated number of seven million carriers of Hepatitis B needs a comprehensive vaccination campaign against the disease.
Prevention of the disease through timely vaccination is cited as the most preferable alternative, particularly as Hepatitis B can almost completely be prevailed by providing vaccination against the infection very early in life, preferably in the first week after birth.
This is again significant, as there is also mother to infant transmission of the virus, which occurs at the time of birth or just after.
Meanwhile, 95 percent of infants who acquire the infection very early in the life become chronic carriers of Hepatitis B.
According to doctors, if the infection is acquired in the first year of life, it results in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular cancer in adolescents.
Although less than 10 percent of the patients acquiring the infection in adult life may turn into carriers.
The disease could also be considerably prevented through safe blood transfusion, use of disposable needles and syringes, safe disposal of hospital waste besides application of sterilised surgical and dental equipment.
Ten percent people below the age of 20 years and 50 percent above the age of 40 years are afflicted with this fatal disease;. 25 percent fell prey to this disease due to the transfusion of blood of a person already suffering from this disease. Therefore, the screening of blood before transfusion is necessary.
Symptoms:
Loss of diet.
Vomiting
Pain on the right side of stomach under ribs.
Tiredness and weakness.
Risk for Hepatitis C
Six to ten million people are suffering from Hepatitis C in Pakistan. You might be at risk of being infected with Hepatitis C. Check your medical history.
-- Currently or in the past have you experienced any blood transfusion, or injected with glass syringe or injected with used syringe.
-- Chronic fatigue or tiredness for which your doctor was unable to find any explanation.
-- Any surgery including oral surgery.
-- Cesarean delivery or other obstetric or gynecological surgical intervention.
-- Kidney dialysis.
Check your working condition. Does your work ever put you in contact with blood, blood products or needles? For example health care workers, doctors, nurses, dentists or dental workers, clinical laboratories, beauticians, barbers etc.
If you have a member of your immediate family been diagnosed with hepatitis B or Hepatitis C, have your medical check up because without a test there is no way to tell for example elevated liver enzymes test (ALT). Hepatitis C is an incurable disease, nevertheless its complications could be controlled because in many instances, Hepatitis C can be treated to an extent as the medical treatment options now available are helping to fight this disease better than ever before.
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