WORLD HEPATITIS DAY- 2019

World Hepatitis Day is observed on the 28th of July every year, the purpose of celebrating this day is to spread awareness about the viral infection of hepatitis. It is an infectious disease with a sequence of different levels A, B, C, D, and E causing damage to the liver cells affecting the lever performance.
 
Why 28th July?
 
The reason of choosing 28th of July for the celebration of World Hepatitis Day is because it is the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg- a Noble Prize-winning Scientist and the discoverer of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). Dr. Baruch not only developed the diagnostic test but also discovered the vaccine for the treatment of the virus.
 
HIV & Hepatitis:
 
After tuberculosis, hepatitis is declared as the second most dangerous infectious disease-causing approximately 9 times more deaths than HIV. There is an estimated ratio of 1.34 million deaths each year worldwide due to hepatitis which causes two in every three liver cancer deaths.
 
Types of Hepatitis:
 
There are five main types of hepatitis which are A, B, C, D and E which cause more damage than any other disease, mainly concern with liver mal-functioning & liver cancer. These types are based on two terms i.e. Acute (short-term) liver disease and Chronic (long-term) liver disease.
 
Types A and E are categorized as Acute which can easily be treated with proper care and prescription. Whereas Types B, C, and D as Chronic and are considered as more critical and need intense care and heavy treatments.
 
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 257 million people are living with Chronic Hepatitis B and up to 71 million with that of Chronic Hepatitis C globally.
How does Hepatitis cause:
 
Among all the categories of Hepatitis, type A is the most commonly transferable which can be easily transferred by food or water used by an infected person.
 
Whereas, Hepatitis B is a little different to be in contact with some blood donation, vaginal secretions or semen.
And Hepatitis C is generally transferred by sharing personal tools like toothbrush, needles, razors, injecting cosmetic substances, drugs, tattoos, piercing, sexually & dental tools and steroids. This type is even more dangerous than category B.
 
Moreover, Hepatitis D is very rare and can’t spread any more without the help of hepatitis B which is mainly in contact with the blood transfer with any infected blood.
 
And last but not least, Hepatitis E is a water-borne disease mainly has targeted in the third world countries like Africa & Asia. This is also the easiest infected disease which can harm the nation in an un-noticed way.
 
Symptoms of Hepatitis:
 
One of the reasons of this disease being very common in every part of the world is that it’s a silent disease & can survive for a long time without showing any serious symptoms.
 
But even though, there are so many symptoms that are very useful to diagnose this disease in its early stage like dark urine, unexplained weight loose, yellow skin & eyes & burning effect in lever.
 
The best way to cure the disease on its earliest is to concern a doctor if any symptom is shown.
Nowadays, there are many specialized tests which can easily diagnose & verify the disease like liver function test, ultrasound & liver biopsy, etc.
 
Cure and Treatment:
 
Hepatitis is a preventable and treatable disease and is curable even in the case of hepatitis C.
 
Treatment options vary depending on which type of hepatitis you have. You can prevent some forms of hepatitis through immunizations and lifestyle precautions.
 
Hepatitis A, B, & E can easily be prevented and cured by the medical treatment like vaccination plus a proper rest but the other two C & D are the most intense types because type C needs much more extraordinary medical treatment with some drug reluctant medicines which are very expensive in it.
 
Moreover, till now there is no cure for the type D patients although doctors suggest the Alpha Interferon Drug for such patients it has shown only 25 – 30 percent of improvements.
 
However, there are over about 80% of people living with hepatitis lack prevention, testing, and treatment services due to unawareness or lack of sources.
 
Celebration and Theme:
 
This day is celebrated each year through different occasions with varying themes.
 
The theme for 2019 celebration is “Find out the Missing Millions”
 
The theme for the celebration of Hepatitis day in the previous year was set as:
 

• 2018: Test. Treat. Hepatitis
• 2017: Eliminate Hepatitis
• 2016: Know Hepatitis-Act now
• 2015: Prevention of viral Hepatitis. Act now
• 2014: Hepatitis: Think Again
• 2013: More must be done to stop this silent killer.
• 2012: It’s closer than you think.
• 2011: Hepatitis affects everyone, everywhere. Know it. Confront it. Confront her.

 
Conclusion:
 
World Hepatitis Day likewise helps us to remember the colossal steps the restorative field has made in treating Hepatitis. Today, there are antibodies (vaccination) to anticipate Hepatitis A and B, and they can be regulated to kids at a youthful age. Hepatitis C is likewise simple to treat with cutting edge innovation while type D and E have really turned out to be uncommon in the ongoing past.
 
World Hepatitis Alliance has defined an objective to dispose of Hepatitis by 2030. Albeit testing, it is reachable. All we need is to give them support by watching World Hepatitis Day and taking an interest in the crusades and exercises they advance.
 
And we also need to urge individuals approach to get to hepatitis counteractive action, testing and treatment administrations. Because there is a huge need for instructions about the transmission and aversion of Hepatitis as it’s stressing that 90% of individuals with Hepatitis really don’t realize they are contaminated.