A person’s life can depend on their activities and how they take care of their overall wellness. Hygiene is crucial in any aspect or situation that people live in. Primarily, what a person eats or drinks can affect the liver and kidney functions. An unhealthy habit can progress to diseases like cancer, eating disorders, and even hepatitis. As World Hepatitis Day is near, all individuals need to know hepatitis facts that can prevent them from this infection. You may want to read along this article to check the information before going to your primary care doctor.
What Is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is the liver’s inflammation due to either autoimmune responses of the immune system or a viral infection. Though hepatitis is not limited to these two causes alone. Acquiring hepatitis can be silent, and that explains why most people tend to neglect this illness. Most hepatitis causes can come from bacteria present in the unsanitary water and meals. On the other hand, sexual contact, transmission from mother to baby, and other bodily fluids can also cause hepatitis. Infection of this liver problem can show symptoms like dark urine, recurring fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin), nausea, and abdominal pain.
What Are 8 Hepatitis Facts To Remember?
Some people are only aware that sharing needles or exchanging of bodily fluids can cause hepatitis in the body. However, there are many other causes and reasons to avoid acquiring this disease. What are the other hepatitis facts that people should prepare for?
Having Hepatitis Can Lead To Death
Dangers in inflammation of the liver due to abuse can undoubtedly have fatal consequences. A person whose infection in the liver may spread within other parts of the body gradually. Some may even last up to 10 years. Most deaths are associated with types B and C, although people with weak bodies or infants can also die from type A due to other complications.
It Is A Global Disease
All over the world, people can acquire hepatitis which makes it classified as a pandemic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 257 million people are infected with chronic hepatitis B. Meanwhile, 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C. In the USA, it is even alarming that hepatitis C can kill more people than HIV. Around 2.2 million Americans may not be aware that they have this killer liver inflammatory disease.
Coinfections May Happen
People with HIV, kidney disorders, and autoimmune problems can also be linked to having hepatitis. It is essential for any person always to have a doctor’s opinion about underlying medical health issues.
There Are Five Types Of Hepatitis
Have you heard of the terms HAV, HBV, HCV, and HEV? These are the five types that you want to inquire about your trusted and board-certified doctor. A causes viral hepatitis in the food and drinks. B is responsible for sexually transmitted hepatitis or bodily fluids with viruses in needles. C, on the other hand, is both acute and chronic and may be asymptomatic.
Risk Factors Can Increase The Chances Of Hepatitis
While there are no direct reasons that risk factors cause hepatitis, it may increase the chance of acquiring this disease.
Be Careful In What You Eat or Drink
Germs that cause hepatitis are usually in your food or drinks. Contamination is not visible, especially bodily fluids are translucent. Avoid eating street foods without sanitary measures to check them.
Hepatitis Can Be Different For Pregnant Women
Pregnant women and their babies may have hepatitis due to blood transmission during the prenatal stage and after giving birth. New mothers need to have their babies checked within the 12 hours of their infant’s delivery.
Advanced Treatments Are Available
Today, there are advanced treatments that were able to go beyond the issues of hepatitis. Cure for HCV (Hepatitis C) is in the form of antiviral (DAA) tablets. These tablets were tested as safe and effective. Moreover, early examinations can detect the stage of hepatitis in the body.
