TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, shedding light on the alarming prevalence of hepatitis infections worldwide.
EXPLANATION:
- India, in particular, has emerged as a significant contributor to the global burden of hepatitis, with substantial implications for public health.
Hepatitis Burden in India:
- Magnitude of Infections:
- India accounted for 11.6% of the world’s hepatitis cases in 2022, with over 35.3 million infections reported.
- Of these, 29.8 million cases were attributed to hepatitis B, while 5.5 million were due to hepatitis C.
- Global Ranking:
- Despite significant efforts, India ranked second globally after China, contributing 27.5% of the total hepatitis cases worldwide.
- Gender and Age Distribution:
- Men accounted for 58% of all hepatitis cases in India, with half of the burden observed among individuals aged 30–54 years.
Global Perspective:
- Global Burden:
- The WHO report documented a rise in estimated mortality from hepatitis, with deaths increasing from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022.
- Hepatitis B accounted for 83% of these deaths, while hepatitis C contributed to 17%.
- Leading Cause of Liver Disease:
- Hepatitis is identified as the second leading infectious cause of death globally, following tuberculosis.
- Chronic hepatitis B and C infections are particularly concerning, as they can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and hepatitis-related deaths.
- Variants and Transmission:
- The report highlights five main strains of the hepatitis virus, each differing in transmission modes, severity, and geographical distribution.
- Hepatitis B and C, in particular, lead to chronic diseases for millions worldwide.
Challenges and Opportunities:
- Diagnostic and Treatment Gaps:
- Despite progress, only a fraction of individuals living with chronic hepatitis B and C infections have been diagnosed and received appropriate care.
- Efforts are needed to improve diagnosis rates and ensure timely treatment.
- Immunization Efforts:
- Immunization and safe injection practices have led to a decline in new hepatitis infections globally.
- However, challenges persist in ensuring universal access to vaccinations, particularly in regions like Africa.
- Injection Drug Use:
- Injecting drug use and unsafe medical injections remain significant contributors to hepatitis C transmission globally.
- Pakistan, in particular, stands out, accounting for a substantial portion of new infections attributed to unsafe medical practices.
Hepatitis:
- Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is caused by a variety of infectious viruses and noninfectious agents leading to a range of health problems, some of which can be fatal.
- There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
- While they all cause liver disease, they differ in important ways including modes of transmission, severity of the illness, geographical distribution and prevention methods.
- In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and together are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and viral hepatitis-related deaths.
- An estimated 354 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or C, and for most, testing and treatment remain beyond reach.
Symptoms:
- Many people with hepatitis A, B, C, D or E exhibit only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
- Each form of the virus, however, can cause more severe symptoms.
- Symptoms of hepatitis A, B and C may include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
- In some cases, the virus can also cause a chronic liver infection that can later develop into cirrhosis (a scarring of the liver) or liver cancer. These patients are at risk of death.