From prevention to diagnosis and to treatment.
Hepatitis – a “silent” disease that develops silently and when the symptoms appear - many years later - there is a small number of therapeutic interventions.
According to details of the World Health Organization 8 out of 10 people are not aware that they suffer from hepatitis. The goal of the World Health Organization is to raise public awareness and to intensify the efforts at a local and international level. Primary and secondary prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment, are the target in order to reduce the complications of hepatitis. Hepatitis and its causes: Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver, which is caused by various causes.
The most known causes are:
1. Viral hepatitis A , B , C , D
2. Hepatitis due to alcoholism
3. Non-alcoholic hepatitis – fatty liver (known to all of us) steatohepatitis.
4. Drug induced hepatitis.
The infection by the virus of hepatitis B consists an important public health problem in all countries of the world and in all social classes. In Greece, approximately 2-3% of the population suffers from chronic hepatitis B infection, however there are regions where this rate reaches 25%. At a global level, it is estimated that 350-400 million people suffer from chronic hepatitis B. In the case of chronic hepatitis B the virus remains in the human body for more than six months and the patients are then called “chronic” carriers. A percentage of 60-70% of these patients have no apparent symptoms and their liver laboratory tests are normal. However, these people have a higher risk to develop hepatocellular carcinoma compared to the healthy population. How is hepatitis B transmitted: The transmission of the hepatitis B virus takes place through the contact with blood and other body fluids (semen, vaginal fluids, less through saliva).
It is not transmitted through sweat, tears, kisses, breast milk, coughing, sneezing or handshaking.
The basic ways of transmission are
• Perinatal way – during childbirth.
• Infection through sexual contact (there is an increased risk for people with multiple sexual partners, for homosexuals).
Due to the increased rate of chronicity and the complications of the disease, that is a 25-40% rate of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, there is a need of monitoring of the above patients, and in some cases the administration of specific treatment is necessary.
Prevention and vaccination: In our country, the vaccination for Hepatitis B is mandatory for infants and adolescents.
Vaccination is recommended for high-risk groups:
1. Multi-transfused persons
2. People with many sexual partners
3. Members of the family of positive hepatitis B carriers
4. Users of intravenous drugs
5. People undergoing hemodialysis
6. Health professionals.
How can I learn if I have been affected by hepatitis Β:
The recommended laboratory test for the diagnosis-Detection of the virus in the human body is made through the following tests: HbAs Ag , anti-HBs, anti-HBcor (IgG – IgM), SGOT, SGPT, COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT, ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE, INR, and when it is deemed necessary, a special test for the detection of the HBV-DNA of the virus.