Hepatitis-B, 100 times more infectious than HIV and one of the biggest killer diseases prowling the earth, has been claiming a staggering 1.5 million lives worldwide every year.
“But the scariest aspect of this disease has been that though around 400 million people in the world are carrying the infection, more than 90 per cent of them are unaware about it,” Dr Manoj Kumar Sahu, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, said on Sunday.
Advances in medical science has helped reduce the mortality from diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, but the casualty caused by Hepatitis-B has increased by 22 per cent since 2000, he said while addressing a programme organised to mark the World Hepatitis Day.
Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro was chief guest at the programme, which was presided over by Prof Amit Banerjee, Vice-Chancellor of the SOA University.
Dr Sahu said there are five strains of hepatitis (the word meaning inflammation of the liver) , A,B,C,D and E, of which Hepatitis-B and C are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in India.
“While Hepatitis-A and E are transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food and water, Hepatitis-B, C and D spread through contact with blood and infected body fluids,” he said, adding that the infection spreads through receipt of contaminated blood or blood products, invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment, sharing needles for injections and blades for shaving and sexual contact.
The people, who are infected but are unaware about their condition, are at high risk of developing chronic liver disease and complications and at the same time unknowingly keep transmitting the infection to healthy people, Dr Sahu said, adding that the theme for the World Hepatitis Day this year is “Find the Missing Millions”.
“However, the good news is that a very effective vaccine is available since 1982 which can prevent the infection,” he informed. This vaccine can be administered to any person of any age including pregnant women with the protection lasting a lifetime. Though there is no vaccine for Hepatitis-C, cure is available.
A single tablet, if used for three months, can completely cure the infection, he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) aims to eliminate Hepatitis-B by 2030, Dr Sahu said.
Prof Banerjee said the SOA University has launched the SOA Adivasi Hepatitis Mission (SOAAHM) three years ago to screen tribal children against the disease and immunise them.
