World Hepatitis Day, How Much Do You Know About Hepatitis?

Chief Im Tae-won, Department of Internal Medicine, Daedong Hospital.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] July 28 is World Hepatitis Day, established by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Hepatitis, a disease that causes inflammation of the liver due to a virus, kills 1.5 million people worldwide every year and is a major cause of liver cancer.

Since liver cancer ranks second among causes of death, it is important to accurately understand it and engage in preventive activities in daily life.

The hepatitis B virus was discovered in 1965, the hepatitis A virus in 1973, and the hepatitis C virus in 1989. Since then, various organizations have been promoting awareness about hepatitis.

Awareness of hepatitis A and B has increased through education and media exposure, but many people are still unaware of hepatitis C.

Compared to hepatitis B, hepatitis C has a higher rate of progression to chronic hepatitis, and unlike other types of hepatitis, there is no vaccine. If left untreated, it can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer, so caution is necessary.

According to the 2020 announcement by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, about 54?86% of hepatitis C infected individuals progress to chronic hepatitis, 15?56% progress to cirrhosis over 20?50 years, and 1?5% of cirrhosis patients develop hepatocellular carcinoma annually.

Hepatitis C is an acute and chronic liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus (Hepatitis C virus, HCV), transmitted through blood such as blood transfusions, shared needles, sexual contact, hemodialysis, and vertical transmission from mother to child.

After an average incubation period of 6?10 weeks, acute hepatitis C symptoms include flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, general fatigue, loss of appetite, and discomfort in the upper right abdomen, but 70?80% of cases are asymptomatic.

Chronic hepatitis C may cause symptoms such as chronic fatigue, malaise, jaundice, and loss of appetite, but about 60?80% of patients have no symptoms and are often discovered incidentally through screening or diagnosed after complications such as liver failure or portal hypertension occur.

Diagnosis is made by detecting HCV-specific genes. Acute cases are treated with rest and a high-protein diet, while chronic cases undergo antiviral therapy.

Im Tae-won, head of the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Center at Daedong Hospital, said, “Viral hepatitis is a disease that anyone can be infected with, but it can be prevented through sufficient preventive measures, so it is important to accurately understand it and practice prevention methods. Although there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, it can be completely cured with appropriate treatment, so early detection is crucial.”

To prevent hepatitis, it is recommended to ▲habitually wash hands properly ▲consume safe food ▲maintain strict hygiene in cooking environments ▲avoid sharing nail clippers and razors ▲never reuse syringes or needles ▲get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B ▲and check your health status through screening.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.