By Doris Obinna
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver due to the presence of toxic substances or infections caused by a protozoan parasite or viruses. People affected by viral hepatitis usually recover, but some continue to carry the virus for many years and can spread the infection to others. These are chronic carriers.
Chronic hepatitis may persist for years and lead eventually to cirrhosis (destruction and replacement of liver cells by fibrous tissue). A substantial number of cirrhotics end up with liver cancer. Chronic carriers serve as an important source of new infections; most have no signs or symptoms and an estimated two-thirds are unaware of their status.
Hepatitis B virus is 50-100 times more infectious than HIV and it is estimated that over two billion people are infected worldwide and approximately one million deaths occur annually from HBV related illnesses. There are 300-400 million carriers of HBV in the world. Several studies have demonstrated that HBV is endemic in Nigeria and have also shown the sero-prevalence among various groups. About 170 million people are infected with hepatitis C virus.
According to Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria, Nigeria have put the burden of Hepatitis B in most Nigerian cities to an average of 13 percent translating to an estimated 20 million people infected. This means that at least 1 out of every 10 Nigerian is a chronic carrier of hepatitis B and not only at risk of liver diseases and death but also at risk of transmitting it to others. It is estimated that about 5 million die annually due to the consequences of this disease.
“Viral hepatitis is described as a ‘silent killer’ because most persons do not realize that they are infected and usually are without any clinical symptoms. Over decades, the disease slowly progress to damage the liver. Symptoms of disease appear in advanced stages of disease when the effect of medical care will be limited.”
SOGHIN, however, urges Nigerians to pay attention to the following key preventive messages:
Knowing the risks: Unsafe blood, unsafe injections, sharing of sharps including drug injection equipment can all result in hepatitis
Demand safe injections: About 2 million people contact hepatitis from unsafe injections. Using sterile single use disposable syringes can prevent these infections. Approximately, 8 billion injections are given unnecessarily globally and unnecessary injections increase the risks.
Vaccinate children as well as adults: A safe and effective vaccine can be given and this protects from hepatitis B for life.
Get tested, seek treatment: Effective treatment options exist for hepatitis B and cure for hepatitis C.
It is important to: Talk to your doctor about testing you for hepatitis virus infection, irrespective of your health status and about receiving a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B if you test negative for the virus. All pregnant women should be screened for hepatitis with a view to protecting the yet-unborn baby.
To prevent being infected by hepatitis viruses, paying attention to the following will be helpful
Avoid sharing personal items, such as razors or toothbrushes.
Do not share needles or other drug equipment (such as straws for snorting drugs).
.Clean blood spills with dilute household bleach.
. Avoid getting tattoos, body piercings and circumcision with poorly sterilized instruments.
. Avoid unsafe and unnecessary injections.
. Avoid transfusion of unscreened blood and other blood products.
. Avoid casual and unprotected sexual intercourse
Hepatitis B and C
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted between people through contact with the blood or other body fluids, including semen and vaginal fluid of an infected person. vPlease note that it is very unlikely it can be contracted through kissing or sharing cutlery. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread through direct contact with infected blood. Very rarely it may be passed on through other body fluids although this is currently unclear.
Hepatitis and the liver
Experts say the liver is the largest gland in the human body. It weighs approximately 3 lb (1.36 kg). It is reddish brown in color and is divided into four lobes of different sizes and lengths. It is also the largest internal organ (the largest organ is the skin). It is below the diaphragm on the right in the thoracic region of the abdomen. Blood reaches the liver through the hepatic artery and the portal vein. The portal vein carries blood containing digested food from the small intestine, while the hepatic artery carries oxygen-rich blood from the aorta.
The liver is made up of thousands of lobules, each lobule consists of many hepatic cells – hepatic cells are the basic metabolic cells of the liver.