Prevention is better than cure – get tested for hepatitis

Sunday, 28 July is World Hepatitis Day, as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in honour of the man who discovered the hepatitis B virus, American physician and Nobel Laureate, Baruch Blumberg.

Hepatitis is an inflammation and infection of the liver and sufferers may be diagnosed with acute or chronic hepatitis. In fact there are five types of hepatitis known as A, B, C, D and E with A and E being short term (acute) and B, C and D long term (chronic).

More than 100 countries acknowledge 28 July and promote events and activities that engage citizens to better understand hepatitis, its causes and the available medication and treatment of the virus.

It doesn’t just affect certain regions or explicit areas in the world, it is a global epidemic. It is estimated that about 400 million people are infected by hepatitis worldwide.

You can contract hepatitis through blood contact, sex, sharing of needles, medications or it may be passed from mother to child.

According to medical research, chronic hepatitis may lead to liver scarring, liver failure and liver cancer. More than 1,5 million people die each year as a result of chronic hepatitis, hence the continuous need to educate, share information and create awareness of this virus. This year, the theme of World Hepatitis Day 2019 is ‘Invest in Eliminating Hepatitis’.

Much like HIV or hypertension, many people don’t know that they have contracted hepatitis until they complete a blood test which is very basic.

The City of Joburg is encouraging people to take a blood test from next week onward at any of its clinics or at a doctor or pharmacy. The good news is that there are vaccines for hepatitis.

According to Doctor Anna Sparaco, Specialist Surgeon at the Donald Gordon Medical Centre, the initial symptoms of hepatitis are flu-like, and may include diarrhoea, fatigue, loss of appetite, mild fever, body aching, abdominal pain, vomiting and weight loss. Worsening is indicated by the presence of circulatory problems, dark urine, dizziness, drowsiness, enlarged spleen, headache, itchy skin, light coloured stools, yellow skin, yellow whites of the eyes and yellow tongue.

The liver is the largest internal organ of the human body and weighs about 1,3kg on average. It is situated on the right side of the upper abdomen, below the rib cage. It has multiple functions involving digestion of food, storage of energy, production of proteins, and removal of poisons.