Importance of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Viruses

 Dr. KS Somasekhar Rao

(Senior consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist, Yashoda Hospital, Hyderabad)

 Hepatitis is the world’s 7th leading cause of death, killing more people than HIV/AIDS, malaria, or tuberculosis — World Health Organization

The liver is the second-largest organ in the human body and performs more than 600 vital functions. The most common cause of liver disease worldwide and in India is alcohol. Other causes of liver diseases include drugs, autoimmune disorders, hepatitis viruses, etc.

Hepatitis B and C are chronic hepatitis viruses that infect humans and can cause liver diseases, including cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer.

These viruses are transmitted by blood and blood products, sexual contact, and vertical transmission (mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy or during birth). Unsterilized needle usage, improper sterilisation of dental, surgical, and endoscopic instruments, and reuse of razor blades appear to be the other most common causes of the spread of these viruses in the community.

Individuals infected by these viruses are asymptomatic most of the time.

These viruses cause inflammation of hepatocytes (liver cells) for a prolonged period of time (chronic hepatitis).

When the inflammation is caused by the virus, on the other side, our body tries to repair the cells by arresting the inflammation. This inflammatory process, with intermittent repair over a period of time, causes scarring of the liver tissue and a decrease in its function. This condition of scarring of the liver tissue with a decrease in its function is called cirrhosis of the liver. Hepatitis viruses are the second most common cause of cirrhosis of the liver worldwide.

Cirrhosis of the liver is the most common precursor for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma).

These viruses can cause liver cancer even before the liver becomes cirrhotic in a few cases.

Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer caused by these viruses.

Any person infected by these viruses is asymptomatic until they progress to a stage of cirrhosis.

Hence, each and every individual should be screened for these viruses.

Once a patient develops cirrhosis, they will eventually require a liver transplant.

Hepatitis C is the only chronic viral infection that can be cured. With the available oral antivirals now, the side effects of treatment are very few, and the treatment duration is finite. (2 weeks) Hepatitis B virus is a treatable virus. Treatment should be done with antivirals if there is evidence of active inflammation in the liver cells. Active Hepatitis B carriers don’t require treatment but need to be followed up regularly as this virus can become active and cause inflammation of the liver cells at any time later in life.

Drugs can cause liver diseases. These drugs may be prescribed for other reasons, like tuberculosis, rheumatoid disorders, cardiac problems, etc. A few Ayurvedic and Unani medications contain heavy metals and cause damage to the liver. Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, yellowish discoloration of the eyes, and urine are the most common symptoms when you need to get your liver checked.

Fatty liver disease is on the rise worldwide and is going to be the leading cause of liver disease in the next 10 years. Regular exercise and low-fat foods can reverse fatty liver disease before it progresses to cirrhosis.

Early diagnosis and treatment can save your liver from chronic damage.

Every individual should get themselves checked voluntarily for hepatitis B (HBsAg) and hepatitis C (anti-HCV), two simple blood tests that can save the liver. Eliminating hepatitis viruses by 2030 is a possibility if every individual is screened and treated.

Awareness about the ill effects of the viruses, modes of transmission, prevention, and treatment plays a very important role in decreasing the deaths caused by viral hepatitis and ultimately eradicating these viruses.