Campaign World Hepatitis Day 2010
Jakarta – Top World Hepatitis Day will be conducted on Wednesday, 28 July 2010. This warning as part of the ongoing campaign launched by the World Hepatitis Alliance since 2008. What should we know?
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver and can be caused by many things. One cause of hepatitis is the most common chronic viral infection. Hepatitis B and C is a liver disease caused by hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus
Both viruses were together have been reported killed around one million people a year worldwide, almost 500 million people are currently infected with hepatitis B or C, chronic, and one of three people have been exposed to one or both of the virus. Unlike hepatitis C, hepatitis B can be prevented by effective vaccination.
This disease is a major health problem worldwide and the most serious type of viral hepatitis, which is about twice as many compared with hepatitis C. Patients who become chronically infected with HBV are at higher risk to experience liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Four main ways of transmission of HBV was sexual contact, parenteral transmission from mother to baby during birth (through the skin or through the veins), and through infected body fluids.
Worldwide, approximately 2 billion people were estimated to have been infected with hepatitis B virus and more than 350 million have become chronic liver infection.
A vaccine against hepatitis B has been available since 1982, has been given to nearly all infants, and included in national immunization programs in many countries, including Indonesia. Hepatitis B vaccine to reach the level of 95 percent effectiveness in preventing chronic HBV infection so it is considered as the first vaccine to fight cancer.
Until the end of 2009, 46 countries in Europe have been implementing a universal hepatitis B immunization with 29 countries implementing universal newborn, 15 countries adopted infant immunization at the age of 2-3 months, the three countries to apply to children and adolescents, as well as six countries applying the vaccination for adults at high risk because of sexual behavior and injection drug users.
Globally, the estimated 130-170 million people chronically infected with HCV and 3-4 million are newly infected each year. HCV transmitted primarily through direct contact with human blood and mainly transmitted parenterally and vertically from mother to child.
The primary cause of HCV infection worldwide are use of unscreened transfusions of blood without strict, reuse needles or syringes are not sterilized adequately.
Sharing needles, syringes and medical equipment by injecting drug users represents a significant contribution to infection, especially in Europe.
Chronic hepatitis C causes a higher risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently there is no vaccine against HCV is available.
Some effective preventive measures, including screening, blood tests, and more stringent donor organs, the use of blood plasma products which were tightened, better infection control and safe injection practices in patient care in hospitals.
In 2008, the World Hepatitis Alliance has launched a campaign with the theme of global awareness-raising program “Am I Number 12?”. This campaign has a simple message designed to communicate the fact that one of 12 people worldwide are living with the virus of hepatitis B or C. Thus, the prevalence of hepatitis is much higher than any HIV or cancer.
It is also intended to encourage people to question ourselves, whether he was one of 12 people affected. With this self-questioning, not by others that seem critical, in general will be more effective and, if the symptoms fit, was expected to undergo a medical examination voluntarily.
The campaign has been a huge success and in 2010 the World Hepatitis Alliance launched a new campaign theme, “This is Hepatitis & hellip”. Campaign initiative is led entirely by the patients themselves hepatitis which aims to increase public awareness about the dangers of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Long-term goal of the campaign is to prevent new infections and to improve the quality of life for patients who are forced to live with hepatitis B and C. (e-lifestyle.us/health)
Life goes on…
In three words I can sum up everything I know about life: It goes on….