290 million people worldwide live with viral hepatitis unaware

World Hepatitis Day is marked every year on July 28 to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis. It is estimated that worldwide, 290 million people are living with viral hepatitis unaware. The theme for this year's world hepatitis day is to raise awareness to "find the missing millions".

According to an ICMR report, it is estimated that currently about 40-45 million are HBV carriers and 10 million people are infected with HCV in India. Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatic cancer. Hepatitis virus is of five types, hepatitis A virus (HAV), B virus (HBV), C virus (HCV), D virus (HDV) and E virus (HEV).

Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver. It's commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes as well.

In acute hepatitis, patients usually have fever and pain in the upper right quadrant of abdomen and loss of appetite and weight. In later stages, when the liver is damaged significantly then the colour of urine and stool becomes dark yellow just like turmeric. If the colour of eye and skin is changing to yellow then it is a sure sign of hepatitis and liver damage. The diagnosis can be confirmed with blood test, ultrasound abdomen and liver biopsy.

Hepatitis deranges the functions of digestive system, metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The other serious problem which is associated with hepatitis is altered clotting. HAV is the most common cause of acute hepatitis all over the world. HBV and HCV are chronic viral infection.

Hepatitis B is occupational hazard for any health worker. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is 100 times more infectious than HIV/AIDS. A study by a French surgeon estimated that general surgeons have 6.9% lifetime risk of contracting HCV and 0.15% lifetime risk of contracting HIV.

Being an orthopedic surgeon, I can say for sure that orthopedic surgeons are more vulnerable to unintentional injury due to metal sharps than any other surgeon because orthopedic surgeons deal with many sharp tipped instruments and implants in addition to general instruments. The fractures ends are often sharp and surgeons or assistants are at greater risk of an injury during reduction of fracture even after wearing thick gloves.

(The writer is an orthopaedic surgeon based in Dehradun)