A quiet threat that affects people of all ages is hepatitis.

 

A quiet threat that affects people of all ages is hepatitis. 

A more subtle concern that frequently goes unnoticed in a world where conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart attacks make headlines every day is hepatitis. Millions of people worldwide, irrespective of age, gender, or background, are afflicted by hepatitis, despite its stealthy course. From infants to the elderly, this liver-targeting disease is a global health concern that requires prompt treatment, prevention, and education.

People of all ages are susceptible to hepatitis, which is a silent hazard that is not limited to any one group or area. Although its symptoms are not often obvious, its effects are extensive and occasionally fatal. Thankfully, we have the ability to change the situation with timely medical attention, safe practices, vaccination, and knowledge. We safeguard future generations' health as well as individual lives by treating hepatitis with the urgency it requires.

Hepatitis is simply defined as liver inflammation. Alcohol, poisons, medications, and autoimmune disorders are just a few of the numerous causes of this, but viruses are the most frequent offender. The several types of viral hepatitis—A, B, C, D, and E—are all brought on by distinct viruses and have different effects and ways of spreading.

Hepatitis A is frequently acquired by consuming tainted food or water. Acute symptoms are typically experienced and then go away on their own. Spread by bodily fluids like blood or semen, or from mother to child after childbirth, is hepatitis B. It can cause serious liver damage if it persists over time. Hepatitis C: Usually contracted by blood-to-blood contact, particularly via contaminated injections or transfusions. A persistent infection is frequently the result. The more deadly co-infection that only happens with Hepatitis B is Hepatitis D. Similar to Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E is more prevalent in developing nations and is spread by tainted water.

Around 354 million people worldwide suffer from chronic hepatitis B and C, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The most concerning is that the vast majority are not aware that they are infected. The term "silent epidemic" refers to the fact that hepatitis can go unnoticed for years, frequently exhibiting no signs until liver damage has progressed. Cirrhosis and liver cancer are among the hepatitis-related liver problems that claim the lives of more than 1.1 million individuals annually. Nonetheless, the majority of these fatalities can be avoided with appropriate immunisation, screening, and treatment.

During childbirth, hepatitis B is frequently transferred from mother to child in many parts of the world, including Asia and Africa. The infection puts newborns at risk for chronic hepatitis, which can cause liver damage over decades in silence. Children can still spread the virus to others, particularly adults, who may experience far more severe symptoms, even though Hepatitis A typically causes minor sickness in these individuals. Early childhood vaccination is therefore crucial to halting the spread.

Young adults and adolescents Risky behaviours that raise the chance of contracting hepatitis B and C are common among this age group, including drug use, unprotected sex, and tattoos or piercings that use unsterilised equipment. Unsafe medical practices and sharing needles are major sources of infection in many nations. Adolescents may also travel, dine out more frequently, or attend large parties, which increases their vulnerability to Hepatitis A epidemics due to inadequate food hygiene. Vaccination and awareness are crucial once more.

Lack of awareness is often the problem for working individuals. Without realising it, many people have the infection for years. In particular, hepatitis C is frequently only identified by blood tests performed for unrelated purposes. Exposure at work is another risk, particularly in the healthcare industry. A needlestick wound or unintentional contact with contaminated blood can spread the virus. Also at risk and in need of testing are those who underwent blood transfusions before to the 1990s, when screening was not common. Older persons with chronic hepatitis are at a higher risk of developing severe liver problems including liver cancer or cirrhosis.

Symptoms: Sometimes severe, usually silent The early stages of hepatitis are frequently asymptomatic, which contributes to its extreme hazard. When they do manifest, symptoms may include: Weary Feeling queasy and throwing up Jaundice, or skin and eye yellowing Dark pee ache in the abdomen appetite loss Many people disregard these symptoms or mistake them for other diseases since they are generic.