Increased hepatitis Chronic cases

Hepatitis remains a problem in Europe

07/27/2014

Under the motto: „Hepatitis: THINK AGAIN“ The World Hepatitis Day will take place next Monday. Although new cases of hepatitis have fallen in recent years, the number of diagnosed chronic cases in Europe has increased.

Diseases often remain unrecognized for a long time
It is estimated that around 500 million people worldwide have hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Statistically, this means that about one in twelve people is affected. Nevertheless, very few of them know and illnesses often remain unrecognized for a long time. Thus, only about one third of those affected develop the typical jaundice, one third of the infected only noticed flu symptoms such as fever, body aches, nausea, loss of appetite, headache or fatigue and another third noticed nothing. The various forms of hepatitis would be partly avoided by vaccinations or largely curable by therapies. The World Hepatitis Day on Monday will contribute to the global awareness of the population on the subject of hepatitis and to encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Hepatitis A and B preventable by vaccination
A recent report by the European Center for Disease Control on the Global Day of Action states that epidemiological control by public bodies is also flawed, according to a report from the APA news agency. Millions of people in Europe are still affected by virus-induced liver inflammation, which accounts for a high proportion of chronic diseases. Across Europe, between 2006 and 2012, around 206,000 cases of hepatitis C and 110,000 cases of hepatitis B have been reported. In particular, hepatitis A - a classic travel infectious disease, which is usually transmitted with contaminated water - could be easily prevented by vaccination. There is also a vaccine against hepatitis B.

Hepatitis C is the biggest problem in terms of numbers
Hepatitis C, which is often transmitted by intravenous drug use and often goes on for many years without symptoms, represents the biggest problem in terms of numbers. To a large extent, this will be chronic, which can mean increasing liver damage with cirrhosis, liver pain, liver cancer or liver failure. Although there is no vaccine here, hepatitis C can almost always be cured. So there are drug therapies that promise a chance of recovery of more than 90 percent. However, treatment costs are up to € 80,000 for three months and are only paid in five states of the EU in certain cases, as stated in the APA notification.

Number of chronic cases is increasing
According to the European report, 30,607 new cases of hepatitis C were reported in Europe in 2012, three-quarters of cases due to intravenous drug use. It is said that syringe exchange programs and opiate substitution therapy for heroin addicts could help to reduce infection rates. In most EU countries, new cases of hepatitis have fallen since 2006 as a result of the overall vaccination programs. But the number of diagnosed chronic cases is increasing. (Ad)