HEPATITIS: A GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGE

Previously described as epidemic jaundice, hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E; all respectively members of the Picornaviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Flaviviridae and Hepeviridae of the viral family.

The hepatitis virus attacks the human liver to either cause acute or chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis, usually of hepatitis B virus develops after weeks to months of untreated initial infection leading to complications in the liver as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (cancer of the liver).

The case of fatality rate due to acute hepatitis is about 1%. But individuals with chronic infection typically acquired in childhood, have a 25% risk of premature death due to either liver cancer or cirrhosis and the resulting persistent liver damage associated with infection.

Viral hepatitis has been known to exist since ancient civilisations. The contagious nature of the illness was suspected even in the eighth century CE, as shown in records of major military campaigns in different continents of the 18th to 20th centuries, including the American Civil War, the First World War and the Second World War.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), viral hepatitis is one of the most common infectious diseases which are of a global public health problem in the world today. Each year, over a million lives are lost due to viral hepatitis, mainly in Third World nations.

Symptoms of viral hepatitis include: tiredness; poor appetite; fever; nausea and vomiting; darkening of urine; jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes); stomach pain; light-coloured stool and frequent diarrhea, among others.

The methods of transmission of hepatitis include: sexual intercourse; blood transfusion and at a chronic stage, blood or bodily fluids like sweat and saliva are vehicles of transmission. Though hepatitis can be

prevented by avoiding risky behaviours, it still remains an important occupational hazard for health workers.

In May 2016, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis 20162021 report. The GHSS calls for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 (reducing new infections by 90% and mortality by 65%). This is to focus on hepatitis B and C, the most deadly responsible for 96% of all hepatitis mortality.

In conclusion, the Nigerian government has to do more in areas of research, vaccination and public awareness programmes aimed at tackling the hepatitis health challenge that is killing hundreds in the country daily. Umar Musa Zakari, DNA Labs. Ltd, Jos