Hepatitis is a dangerous inflammation of the liver linked to a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious agents that can lead to a range of health problems, including severe and potentially fatal liver damage and cancer.
Generally, hepatitis falls into five classifications: A, B, C, D, and E.
Hepatitis B is of major concern due to its prevalence and the serious complications that accompany this virus type.
As reported by Balipost.com, a Medical and Public Health Professor at Bali’s Warmadewa University (FKIK Unwat), Dr. I Putu Arya Giri Prebawa, Sp. PH.D. explains that in many developing country settings, Hepatitis B infections occur in the late stages of pregnancy, during childbirth, or in the first few weeks after birth.
Hepatitis B is a member of the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses found naturally among humans, apes, and birds. The hepatitis B virus is closely associated liver infections, hepatocellular carcinomas (chronic infections), and cirrhosis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been shown to persist for many years in infected individuals.
Hepatitis B is spread through human blood or other bodily fluids. In many developing countries, contagion through childbirth is the most common form of new cases.
Globally, an estimated 254 million people are infected with chronic HBV. 65% if all known cases are found in Africa and the Western Pacific Regions. In 2022, 1.1 million deaths were linked to chronic hepatitis B infections, primarily manifesting as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Meanwhile, in Indonesia, medical researchers report a decrease in hepatitis B prevalence from 7.1% in 2013 to 2.4% in 2023. A 2023 Indonesian survey recorded 6.7 million cases of hepatitis B and 2.5 million cases of hepatitis C. The Indonesian provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, Papua, and Gorontalo have the highest recorded numbers of hepatitis B and C cases.
Hepatitis B is most readily spread in Indonesia through breastfeeding. Other common means of infection are via tattoos and the sharing of non-sterilized needles. Unprotected sexual contact can also spread the disease through infected sperm and vaginal secretions.
Healthy adults afflicted by hepatitis B can, with proper medical treatment, enjoy a 95% cure rate.
90% of infants infected with hepatitis B suffer complications due to their immature immune systems. Those infected at birth can remain asymptomatic for years before manifesting later in life as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Many of those infected with hepatitis B will, at the early stages of the infection, be unaware of their condition due to a lack of symptoms. Symptoms at this stage may be mild and unspecified, including fatigue, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, mild nausea, or discomfort in the upper right abdomen. A yellowing complexion, yellow eyes, darkened urine, and pale-colored feces can manifest a more severe onset.
Diagnosis of hepatitis B can be confirmed with blood tests (HBsAg). Further blood work includes tests for HBeAg, anti-HBc, and HBV DNA. Liver function tests are also part of the diagnostic protocol.
Treatment for chronic hepatitis B seeks to suppress virus replication and prevent disease progression. Antiviral medications, such as tenofovir and entecavir, have proven effective with minimal side effects.
Hepatitis B Vaccination
Vaccination is a mainstay for the prevention of hepatitis B. In Indonesia, hepatitis B vaccination is administered in four doses as part of a nationwide immunization program. Screening for hepatitis B among pregnant women and immunoglobulin treatment of newborn children of pregnant women testing positive for the disease helps prevent vertical infections. Education on the threat posed by sharing needles and the need for “safe sex” practice will also help prevent the spread of the disease.
In addition to a lack of public awareness, problems in the field in the fight against hepatitis B are limited diagnostic tools and treatment medications, particularly in remote areas of the country.
The Indonesian Government seeks to reduce hepatitis B infection and mortality rates linked to the disease by 2030
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