Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. There are mainly five different hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D and E.
Know the facts
- 400 million people are infected worldwide.
- Viral hepatitis infection ranges from a simple liver infection to severe hepatitis and leading to death if not treated.
- Chronic viral hepatitis causes 80% of liver cancer deaths.
Mode of transmission:
Hepatitis A & E are spread mainly through eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person.
Hepatitis B, C & D are transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person:
- blood
- Sharing toothbrushes and razors
- Mother to child
- Infected surfaces (e.g. Hepatitis C virus can survive outside the body for at least 16 hours and it can be several times more infectious than HIV)
At risk population
- Recipients of blood transfusions
- People who have undergone invasive healthcare procedures with inadequate safety practices
- Healthcare workers
- Close contacts of people with chronic hepatitis B infection
- Travelers to high risk countries
Prevent Hepatitis A & E: TAKE ACTION
Don’t share:
- Spoons
- Straws
- Pipes
Prevent Hepatitis B, C & D
Don’t Share
- Needles
- Syringes
GET VACCINATED Hepatitis A & B are prevented by specific vaccines
GET TESTED Testing is quick, simple, and painless
GET TREATED New Hepatitis C treatments cure 90-95% of patients. Hepatitis B cannot be cured but it can be treated.
References
http://worldhepatitisday.org/en/learn-the-facts
http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/world-hepatitis-day/