Hepatitis B is the most common form of the hepatitis virus. It afflicts an estimated 287 million people around the world, even though a vaccine has been available since 1982.1
It is World Hepatitis Day on 28 July. Take the opportunity to learn more about this life-threatening disease, and educate those around you about the importance of vaccination.
Dangers and symptoms
Hepatitis B is a virus that attacks the liver. When liver function is impaired, serious complications can arise, including liver cirrhosis and liver failure. Sufferers also experience a higher risk of liver cancer. Even if such complications do not occur, patients often experience jaundice, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever and extreme fatigue.1
Transmission
Hepatitis B is most often transmitted through bodily fluids. Sexual contact with sufferers is one common mode of transmission. We should also be extra careful when traveling to less developed areas, as equipment at healthcare facilities may not be properly sterilized. Contaminated scalpels and needles all contribute to disease transmission.
Treatment and prevention
There is no proven method of curing Hepatitis B. At the acute infection stage when symptoms are at their most severe, treatment methods are primarily symptomatic, focusing on reducing fluid loss and managing discomfort. Chronic hepatitis infections can be managed with oral antiviral agents, but these must be taken for life.1
Therefore, it is far preferable to avoid the potentially deadly consequences of the disease in the first place. Avoiding unprotected sex and unsterilized needles are important precautions. In addition, the Hepatitis B vaccine is widely available in Hong Kong and is 95% effective.1
World Hepatitis Day is about spreading awareness of this disease and its prevention, with the goal of eliminating hepatitis altogether.2 Do your part!
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