Endangered by Hepatitis

27/07/2013 00:00

Albanians top the list of the mostly affected European people by
Hepatitis B and C. These viruses spread silently and patients don’t know
that they have them, by increasing this way the development of a bad
disease with high death rates.

According to a recent study made by the Public Health Institution, 250.000 people in our country have been infected by Hepatitis B , and 30.000 by Hepatitis C, marking the highest prevalence in Europe.

According to Silva Bino, Head of Infective diseases, prevalence used to be 20% in the past and now it has gone to 6%. However, there is still a lot to do. The inclusion of the vaccine against Hepatitis B has reduced the number of young patients drastically, but their goal is to create a generation that is not affected at all.

Hepatitis B and C are the most dangerous. Hepatitis B can be spread through sexual contact, from pregnant mothers to their children and blood transfusion. The carriers in some cases could be chronicle and their liver is at risk during the entire time, and for this reason doctors appeal the population to get tested and to receive further treatments.

“It is better when it is diagnosed at an early stage. The liver is an organ that gives no pain, and it can be diagnosed in other ways, by signs such as an increase of the size of the liver or spleen, and the appearance of some marks on the skin. We can diagnose it in the early stages and also in advanced stages such as cirrhosis, which can cause death in a complicated stage”, says Jovan Basho, at the Tirana University Hospital.

Hepatitis C can be received through the same way, although it is more rare, mainly in drug users and homosexuals. On 80% of the cases it can cause a chronic hepatitis, and in 5-20% of the cases it can cause cirrhosis or cancer. Carriers would have to be careful with their weight and alcohol consumption.

Advanced technology in science has had some success stories with Hepatitis C patients, but Albania lacks of the diagnosing methods and medicament. Only 50% of the infected patients are being treated at the Tirana University Hospital Center.

There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C, different from Hepatitis B, while the doctors are suggesting that the adult population should also use the vaccine for B.

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