Health

Hepatitis Testing Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Hepatitis

Hepatitis Testing Day is a crucial occasion for individuals from all walks of life to educate their constituents and communities about viral hepatitis and encourage those at risk to be tested.

Every year on May 19, Hepatitis Testing Day is observed to raise awareness and encourage people to get tested for viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that can contribute to a variety of health complications, including liver cancer. Strains A, B, C, D, and E of the hepatitis virus are the most prevalent in the population. Hepatitis B and C are the primary cause of death, accounting for 1,3 million deaths annually across the globe. To save lives, we must improve preventive care, diagnostics, and awareness. Perform your duties and be evaluated.

The background of Hepatitis Testing Day

Hepatitis Testing Day is a crucial occasion for individuals from all walks of life to educate their constituents and communities about viral hepatitis and encourage those at risk to be tested. Hepatitis Testing Day was first observed in 2012 to raise awareness about the latent pandemic of viral hepatitis in the United States. In 2013, Hepatitis Testing Day became a national holiday.

Hepatitis B affects approximately 862,000 individuals, while hepatitis C affects approximately 2.4 million. The majority of chronic hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus carriers do not exhibit symptoms until the later phases of infection. As a result, many Americans with viral hepatitis are unaware of their condition, placing them at risk for serious, even fatal, complications and the transmission of the virus. In the United States, untreated chronic viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver malignancy and the most common reason for liver transplantation. Available treatments for hepatitis B can prevent the development of liver disease and liver malignancy. Hepatitis C is the infectious disease responsible for the most fatalities in the United States.

More than 95% of infected individuals can be cured of hepatitis C in as little as eight to twelve weeks with safe and effective oral treatments, thereby preventing liver disease and liver malignancy. Those at risk for hepatitis B and hepatitis C should be screened, and those who are chronically infected should receive medical care and treatment to prevent illness and mortality.

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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HEPATITIS

Hepatitis A is typically transmitted when a person consumes food or water that has been contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.

Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted through direct contact with an infected person’s blood, such as during sex, the sharing of syringes and needles, and childbirth.

Every year, approximately 25,000 individuals are infected with hepatitis A in the United States.

It is estimated that more than 3.5 million and 850,000 Americans are infected with hepatitis C and B, respectively.

The hepatitis B blood test only requires a single blood sample, and your doctor should order the ‘Hepatitis B Panel,’ which includes three separate tests for the virus.