World Hepatitis Day illustrates that more people should be tested for the viral illness

World Hepatitis Day illustrates that more people should be tested for the viral illness

Hepatitis is on the rise nationally and especially in West Virginia. Viral hepatitis is one of the biggest global health threats of our time. It causes 1.34 million deaths a year. 

July 28 is World Hepatitis Day. According to the World Hepatitis Day’s website, 300 million people are living with viral hepatitis and are unaware of it. 

MCHD Clinical Services offers free testing for hepatitis and can also help with referrals for care. If you think you or a loved one may be one of the millions of people who are unaware of having hepatitis, consider making an appointment for testing.

There are five different types of viral hepatitis, which is a liver infection. The three that are most common in the United States are A, B and C. The less common ones are D and E. 

Hepatitis A is spread when a person ingests the virus from objects, food or drink that are contaminated by small and undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. It can also be spread by close personal contact with an infected person, such as, sex or caring for someone who is ill.

Washing your hands is a big part of preventing the spread of hepatitis A. It can be spread by many ways, some of which you might not think about. An infected person could be preparing your food without good handwashing and passing the virus along. Hepatitis A could even be spread by passing around a joint that is contaminated. 

Hepatitis A is preventable; there is a vaccine. People who should get vaccinated are all children at age 1, people who are at an increased risk of infection, people who are at an increased risk for complications of hepatitis A and anyone who wishes to obtain immunity against hepatitis A.

There has been an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak in West Virginia, mainly due to the current opioid drug addiction crisis. 

People who use drugs—injection and non-injection drugs—have a higher risk for hepatitis A. Homeless people, men who have sex with men, travelers to countries where hepatitis A is common and people working with nonhuman primates are also at a higher risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Hep A can range from a mild illness that could last for a few weeks to a severe illness that could last several months. Hepatitis A may cause death, although that is rare. Unfortunately, the death rate and hospitalization rate from hep A with this outbreak is higher than usual, because a lot of immune-compromised people are infected. 

In West Virginia, nearly half of the 2,528 people who are part of the hepatitis A outbreak have been hospitalized. Fifty-five percent of them also are co-infected with hepatitis C; 10 percent are co-infected with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B is spread when an infected person’s blood, semen or other body fluids enter the body of a person who is not infected. This could occur during birth, sex with an infected person, by sharing needles or direct contact with blood or open sores. 

Hepatitis B can also be a short-term, or acute, illness or can be a more serious and chronic condition. An acute infection can lead to a chronic infection, which is lifelong. Chronic hepatitis B can lead to many other serious health problems such as, liver damage, liver cancer and death. 

Like hepatitis A, hepatitis B is also vaccine preventable. Other ways to prevent hepatitis B include using condoms with sexual partners, avoiding direct contact with blood and illegal street drugs and covering all cuts carefully. 

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with an infected person’s blood. According to the CDC, most people today become infected with hepatitis C by sharing needles or other equipment to prepare or inject drugs. 

Out of the three most common hepatitis viruses in the United States, hepatitis C is the only one without a vaccine. But it’s the only one that has a cure, albeit an expensive one. The most effective way to stay protected is avoiding using of illegal drugs, which is the most common route of transmission. Needle exchange programs also help reduce the spread of hepatitis C. 

Hepatitis C can also last a few weeks or develop into a lifelong illness. If it develops into a chronic illness, more health issues can develop.  

Hepatitis D and E are not that common in the United States. Hepatitis D is transmitted through percutaneous or mucosal contact with infectious blood and only occurs in people who are infected with the hepatitis B virus, according to the CDC. 

Hepatitis E is transmitted from the ingestion of fecal matter that is usually due to contaminated water supply in countries with poor sanitation. Pregnant women are more likely to experience severe illness and death if infected with hepatitis E. 

If you think you are at risk for hepatitis, you can take the CDC’s five-minute risk assessment by clicking on this link.

Let’s all work together to raise awareness, take a risk assessment, seek care if needed and help find those “missing millions” who are unaware that they are living with viral hepatitis. 

Taylor Schulz is an intern in the public information office at Monongalia County Health Department.