Chandigarh, April 18: “Nearly 1.3 million deaths occur annually due to viral Hepatitis worldwide every year. In India 40 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis B and about 12 million with Hepatitis C. Hepatitis B, C, excessive alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are the leading causes of liver damage in India,”
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday on the eve of World Liver Day, Dr Arunashu Behera, director general surgery at IVY Hospital, Mohali said that there has been a paradigm shift in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and about 10 lakhs new patients are diagnosed every year in India. Once a patient is diagnosed as cirrhotic, there are very less chances of reversal of damage.
Dr Sumeet Kainth consultant gastroenterology said that in particular Hepatitis B and C lead to chronic disease in millions of people world over and together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer. Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food and water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur through contact with infected blood and body fluids.
Dr Srinath Rathod senior consultant general & laparoscopic surgery said that the incidence of diabetes and fatty liver together is deadly but fatty liver disease can be prevented by lifestyle modification.
In India the age of alcoholic liver disease is coming down and it mostly occurs below the age of 30 to 40 years, whereas in the western world the average age for this disease has gone up to 45 to 55 years, informed Dr Divij Jayant associate consultant GI surgery at Ivy.
Lifestyle measures and precautions to prevent liver damage due to viral hepatitis:
1. Ensure hygienic drinking water
2. Wash your hands properly before and after preparing and eating food.
3. Avoid roadside food vending, especially fruit juices, milkshakes.
4. Barber shops, beauty salons – sharing of razor blades, metal scraper used to remove black heads and white heads from facial skin can act as a source of infections.
5. Safe sexual practices to be observed.
6. Disposable Syringes & needles should be used.
7. Hepatitis A and B are vaccine preventable.
8. Early detection of silent longstanding persistence by screening of HBV and HCV.
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