In Viet Nam, an estimated eight million people are infected with hepatitis B or C virus and liver cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. An article by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) Viet Nam Country Office, published this week, highlights the considerable burden of hepatitis B and C in people in Viet Nam. People who inject drugs have a particularly high prevalence of hepatitis C infection, with up to 98.5% of them infected with the virus.
“Developing national policies for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C infections are critical priorities to prevent people from developing cirrhosis and liver cancer, and to avoid the associated deaths,” says Dr. Fabio Mesquita, Senior Advisor on HIV at the WHO Viet Nam Country Office.
World Hepatitis Day was created two years ago as an opportunity to raise awareness of the different forms of hepatitis. "Given the high endemicity of hepatitis viruses in the Western Pacific Region, especially hepatitis B and C, we need to deliver focused, concerted actions, including prevention, screening and treatment of those already infected," says Dr Shin Young-Soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by one of five hepatitis viruses, called types A, B, C, D and E. Of particular concern are hepatitis B and C, since a high proportion of people infected with these viruses do not show symptoms at the early stage of the disease, and only become aware of their infection when they are chronically ill, sometimes decades after infection.
The transmission paths of the different hepatitis viruses vary. Hepatitis B, C and D are contracted through the blood of an infected person and, in the case of hepatitis B and C, also through unprotected sex. Hepatitis A and E are typically transmitted via contaminated water or food.
Viral hepatitis is usually preventable, treatable and often curable. If they know their status, people at risk for chronic hepatitis B and C can protect themselves and others. All newborns should receive a dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours after birth and additional three doses at 2, 3 and 4 month of age by the routine immunization. These doses of vaccine dramatically decrease that child’s risk of developing chronic hepatitis later in life.
In Viet Nam, routine immunization for hepatitis B has been implemented for the past ten years. In 2011, fifty-five percent of newborns received a dose of hepatitis B vaccination at birth, and the coverage for the additional three dose vaccination reached 95%. According to a 2011 survey, this resulted in a reduction of hepatitis B infection in children aged five in Viet Nam to approximately two percent.
Reducing the risk of infection with hepatitis C requires avoiding unsafe injections and blood products. Improved hospital and blood transfusion practice and harm reduction programmes which are used to prevent HIV in people who inject drugs, such as needle, syringe and condom distribution, are also critical to preventing the transmission of hepatitis C.
The WHO is calling on countries and partners to develop effective and targeted strategies to respond to the hepatitis challenge and raise awareness of this hidden disease. Individuals should be informed about risk factors and take preventive measures. WHO today launches a new framework for global action to prevent and control viral hepatitis infection. WHO is currently developing new guidance for screening, care and treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C infections and is supporting countries to make that treatment more accessible and affordable.