World Hepatitis Day 2022: Hepatitis is the irritation of the liver particularly because of hepatotropic viruses and at instances because of heavy alcohol use, chemical substances or medicines. Another sort of hepatitis is while your autoimmune hepatitis while your frame’s immune machine begins offevolved attacking healthful cells of your liver. The disorder may be acute (healing inside few weeks) or chronic (keeps for long). There are 5 recognized hepatotropic viruses – hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV). When the disorder isn’t always dealt with on time, the contamination can development and cause liver cirrhosis and, in a few cases, cancer. The circumstance influences nearly 325 million folks that are presently residing with the disorder. (Also read: World Hepatitis Day 2022: Ways to shield your liver and preserve hepatitis at bay)
“While the not unusualplace reason of hepatitis is a viral contamination, different feasible reasons of the disorder are autoimmune hepatitis and intake of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol. Some not unusualplace signs and symptoms of hepatitis are tiredness, fever, ache withinside the proper higher abdomen, fever, and jaundice,” says Dr Rakesh Patel, Consultant Gastroenterology, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan.
Dr Patel additionally debunks a few not unusualplace myths approximately hepatitis in an interview with HT Digital.
Myth 1: If an inflamed individual kisses or spits on you, you may get inflamed
Fact: It is not going for one to get inflamed thru saliva and the possibilities of the contamination spreading thru it are rare. However, hepatitis may be transmitted thru touch or frame fluid, blood, semen, sexual touch, etc. if the secretions input the blood
Myth 2: Hepatitis is a hereditary disorder
Fact: Hepatitis isn’t always a genetic ailment and can not be inherited. But hepatitis B may be exceeded on from mom to the kid at some stage in beginning and transmitted via way of means of frame fluids and a few via way of means of infected meals or water. Also, hepatitis is preventable via way of means of giving the mom antivirals and the kid may be given a vaccine together with immunoglobulin inside 12 hours of its beginning.
Myth 3: Hepatitis A, B and C are associated as those are superior levels of hepatitis
Fact: A, B, and C aren’t levels however are special lines of the hepatitis virus. They are transmitted in special methods and feature some overlapping signs and symptoms. However, there aren’t anyt any progressions from one contamination to the next, however co-contamination can occur. Hence if a affected person has hepatitis, it’s miles encouraged that they get the vaccine to keep away from getting different hepatitis A and E are transmitted via way of means of infected meals or water, at the same time as B and C are because of blood transfusion, needle stick harm or mom to child.
Myth 4: Having hepatitis A maintains you immune from different styles of the virus
Fact: Most hepatitis A and E sufferers generally get better inside some weeks of diagnosis, as it’s miles a short-time period contamination. Those who’ve had this contamination could have lifelong safety towards simplest the hepatitis A virus (HAV) or HEV, even though they’re nevertheless at hazard for different lines of the virus.
Myth 5: There isn’t anyt any remedy for hepatitis B
Fact: While there’s no treatment for hepatitis, it’s miles a achievable disorder. Chronic HBV may be dealt with via way of means of powerful antivirals that assist slow, suppress, or maybe opposite liver disorder.
Myth 6: There is a vaccine for Hepatitis A, B and C
Fact: While vaccines are to be had for hepatitis A and B, presently, no vaccine can save you one from getting inflamed via way of means of the hepatitis C virus. Hence if one receives inflamed with hepatitis, the affected person need to get vaccinated towards hepatitis A and B, as those infections can similarly boom your possibilities of liver problems. The maximum not unusualplace manner to save you hepatitis C is taking preventions via way of means of now no longer sharing non-public gadgets like toothbrushes, razors, and injectable equipment. Hepatitis C is treatable with antivirals and might treatment nearly all sufferers.
