KUWAIT CITY - On the occasion of the World Hepatitis Day, Hilal Al-Sayer, Vice-President of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) and Dr Fuad Al Ali, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Kuwait University and Head of Gastroenterology Unit at the Mubarak Al Kabir Hospital hosted a press conference May 19 to help prevent the spread of hepatitis B through awareness and testing. Through its collaboration with the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), a Non-Governmental Organization representing more than 200 hepatitis B and C patient groups around the world, the KRCS is leading local advocacy and awareness campaign.
"Chronic viral hepatitis is a serious health problem in Kuwait with over five percent of people estimated to be infected. This startling fact, coupled with the stigma associated with transmission of the disease, means many individuals are afraid to get tested for fear of a positive diagnosis," said Dr Fuad Al Ali. "In fact, it is estimated that in Kuwait more than 60 percent are unaware that they are infected. While there is no permanent cure for viral hepatitis B, we can assure that there are effective treatments that can manage the disease," he added.
To support educational and awareness efforts, the KRCS, a voluntary humanitarian organization, has joined forces with the WHA to make even greater contributions towards the prevention and management of viral hepatitis.
In early 2009, KRCS had announced its sponsorship of the B-Aware campaign in Kuwait, a national effort aimed at raising awareness of hepatitis B and helping those at risk to self-identify and get tested, vaccinated, and if necessary, treated.
"B-Aware is our contribution to the massive global efforts of advocacy groups and voluntary organizations to stop the spread of the disease and help save lives," said Al Sayer.
"In Kuwait we will continue our efforts to alert the population about this silent scourge through various awareness campaigns," he stated.
Outreach
B-Aware initiatives in Kuwait have so far included community events, press conferences and intense media outreach which has resulted, so far, in more than five million impressions via TV, radio, print and online coverage.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by viral infection. Hepatitis B and C are two such viruses and are responsible for approximately one million deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization.
Some 500 million people around the world -- or approximately one in 12 -- are currently infected with chronic hepatitis B or C and one in three people have been exposed to one or both viruses.
Hepatitis B is a life threatening viral infection that affects the liver. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause life-long complications that can lead to liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver cancer or liver failure. There is no cure for hepatitis B, but vaccination can help prevent infection.
Hepatitis B is an infectious disease and the most common and serious form of liver infection in the world. The virus can be transmitted through the transfer of blood or body fluids from mother to child during pregnancy or through direct contact via infected blood products, unprotected sex, and intravenous drug use with unsterilized needles. Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
HBV is a serious global health issue with more than 2 billion people (1 out of every 3 people) infected with the virus worldwide. Despite the availability of a vaccine, 300-400 million people are chronically infected by the HBV virus, which is difficult to detect without a blood test. Hepatitis B infection is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide.
Infection
Nearly 1.2 million people died of HBV last year alone and chronic infection is responsible for 80 percent of cases of liver cancer.
The earlier in life a person becomes infected with HBV, the greater the likelihood of infection becoming chronic and leading to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is difficult to detect, in fact, 40 percent of infected adults will show no signs of symptoms, until the infection has become chronic. If a person is exhibiting symptoms they may demonstrate flu-like symptoms, yellowing of the eyes and skin, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and joint pain.
There are several tests which assist doctors in assessing liver damage, or the likelihood of future liver damage from hepatitis B, they include a series of blood test, liver scans or liver biopsies.
The time between hepatitis B exposure and the onset of symptoms ranges between 45 to 180 days; this is called the "acute infection" stage. If the virus remains in a person's system for more than six months, without treatment, it moves into the "chronic infection" stage.
People with chronic hepatitis B have an increased risk of developing liver complications. On average at least 15 to 25 percent of chronic hepatitis B patients will die of liver-related diseases.
Risk
Anyone can contract hepatitis B. However the people most at risk for contracting the disease are those who have not been vaccinated. There are some regions in the world such as Africa, Asia and some Southern and Eastern regions in Europe, where there is a higher-than-average HBV prevalence. Persons sharing unsterilized needles or having multiple sex partners with a history of sexually transmitted diseases are also at risk. Among those at the greatest risk of becoming infected are public health workers and infants, whose mothers are infected with hepatitis B. There are a several different options for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. The most common forms of medications are called antiviral. Early treatment with antiviral drugs may help slow the progression of liver disease for the chronically infected.
Viral
The amount of hepatitis B virus in the blood is known as the viral load. Recent studies have supported an association between viral load and the risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. The challenge with most antiviral is that patients can build immunity to the medication, making it less effective in treating the virus and controlling viral load. Newer treatments appear to have fewer complications and provoke less drug resistance. Some newer treatments have also demonstrated the ability to further slow viral replication through a variety of mechanisms that may successfully maintain low viral load. Since 1991, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for all countries to add hepatitis B vaccines to their national immunization programs. Many countries have included a hepatitis B vaccine in their budget and an increasing amount of countries are helping those infected obtain appropriate treatment. Ultimately, newer medications and emerging science may bring us closer to eradicating HBV and bringing it under control.
By Rena Sadeghi
© Arab Times 2009
