World Hepatitis Day: some facts about 5 hepatitis strains

3 years ago

Do you know 325 million people are living with viral hepatitis B and C.

Today i.e on July 28 every year, the world commemorates the World Hepatitis Day. World Hepatitis Day spread awareness about this deadly viral inflammation of the Liver. Liver Hepatitis can be autoimmune or occurs as a secondary result of certain medications. The day is marked as Hepatitis day because July 28th is the birth anniversary of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a vaccine for the virus. 

The liver is an integral organ of the human body involved in specific functions that affect metabolism are:

  • It produces bile essential for digestion food particles
  • Toxins filtration
  • Excrete out bilirubin, cholesterol, drugs, and hormones
  •  The liver helps in the breakdown of carbohydrates fats, and proteins
  • synthesize  albumin blood protein

From Hepatitis B and C, 1.3 million lives lost each year. There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus – A, B, C, D and E.  

Some facts about Hepatitis strains:

1. The hepatitis A virus transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infectious person.

2. The Hepatitis B virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and delivery, as well as through contact with blood or other body fluids, including sex with an infected partner, injection-drug use.

3. The hepatitis C virus is a blood-borne virus. Infection is through injection drug use, unsafe injection practices, transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products, and sexual practices that lead to exposure to blood. Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver cancer.

4. Hepatitis D virus requires hepatitis B virus (HBV) for its replication.

5. Hepatitis E virus is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, principally via contaminated water.

World Hepatitis Day 2020 Theme

This year’s World Hepatitis Day theme is “Hepatitis-free future,” with a strong focus on preventing hepatitis B among mothers and newborns.

Pic Source: WHO website

Information source: www.who.int

Seema Jain

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