Wonder drug for Hepatitis C

Viral hepatitis is one of the world’s greatest health threats. It is not only an acute infection, but a leading cause of chronic liver disease, including liver cancer. With appropriate health care, viral hepatitis is preventable. Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C together with other forms of viral hepatitis kill over one million people per year, a death rate that is three times higher than HIV/AIDS in Asia Pacific region. Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C are major reasons for liver diseases, causing 78% of all liver cancer globally. Data from the 2014 World Cancer Report show that liver cancer is now the second most common cause of cancer death in Asia Pacific. Viral hepatitis is preventable.

What are then steps to be taken to prevent viral hepatitis?

1.Most important is creating awareness: Viral hepatitis infection often shows no symptoms in the early phases of the disease and sometimes even quite advanced stage , and this can mean that people with the infection, do not know they are infected. In South-East Asia, 65% of the 100 million people living with chronic hepatitis B are unaware of their infection, whereas 70% of the 30 million people infected with chronic hepatitis C are unaware of their infection. Awareness of these diseases is slightly higher in the Western Pacific.

2.Vaccination: We have vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The prevention of hepatitis B transmission through immunization is critical to reducing the disease burden of liver cancer and cirrhosis. Hepatitis B vaccine has as such been dubbed an “anti-cancer vaccine”. While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, treatments are available.

3.Treatment of established infection: It is important to treat hepatitis B and C with anti viral drugs both for the safety of the patient and also for society at large since it is going to reduce bulk of the reservoir of infection. We have very effective oral antiviral drugs for hepatitis B, but, there are useful only as long as they are taken (like for diabetes and high blood pressure).Fortunately we have very effective and inexpensive vaccine available for B.

4.Treatment of hepatitis C in particular assumes lot of importance since we do not have any vaccine for C. Till now the treatment for hepatitis C was through weekly injection of peg interferon and daily tablet ribavirin The injection requires to be taken once a week for 6months or 12 months depending on the genotype of hepatitis C. The treatment is expensive, associated with some treatment related adverse effects and of limited efficacy (50-75%). Recently several new oral drugs have been developed which have revolutionized the treatment of hepatitis C. The duration of treatment has become shorter (i.e 3 months). The oral drugs are safe and their efficacy approaches 95-100% . Last but not least practicing all the measures to prevent like in for HIV, i.e safe sex, safe blood and safe needles” are still of vital importance.

5.The Indian context and consensus: Globally, around 150 million people are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). India contributes a large proportion of this HCV burden. The prevalence of HCV infection in India is estimated at between 0.5% and 1.5%. The predominant modes of HCV transmission in India are blood transfusion and unsafe therapeutic injections.

6.There is a need for large field studies to better understanding of HCV epidemiology and identify high-prevalence areas, and to identify and spread awareness about the modes of transmission of this infection in an attempt to prevent disease transmission.

Through this interactive, informative web site www.hepatitisccure.in we hope to create awareness, dissipate latest information about diagnosis ,treatment of hepatitis to public in general and also for health care providers (doctors, nurses etc.)