Delhi sees surge in Hepatitis A cases, AIIMS Doctors advise precautions

New Delhi: Delhi has been witnessing a significant rise in Hepatitis A cases in the past few weeks, doctors at the premiere health institution, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi have issued a warning highlighting the importance of avoiding contaminated food and water. 

According to a PTI report, the hospital is seeing an increase in the number of hepatitis A cases, with the majority of the patients being children and those in the age group of 18-25, Dr Shalimar, professor in the gastroenterology department at the institute said during a press conference.

Hepatitis A and E, both of which are mainly transmitted through drinking water contaminated with faecal matter, are self-limiting infections and do not require any specific anti-viral drugs for treatment and are managed symptomatically, Dr Pramod Garg, head of the gastroenterology department said.

A study conducted by the Department of Gastroenterology, AIIMS, New Delhi has shown that Hepatitis A and E together constitute 30 per cent of the cases of acute liver failure, a condition with a high mortality of over 50 per cent, he said.

Hepatitis B and C viruses cause chronic liver disease and together are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and viral-hepatitis-related deaths, Dr Deepak Gunjan, an additional professor in the department, said during the press meet, news agency PTI reported.

Hepatitis B and C infections occur through exposure to infected blood, for example, unscreened blood transfusions, mother-to-child transmission during birth and delivery, unsafe sexual practices and injectable drug use, he said.

"Treatment for hepatitis B virus requires long-term treatment. For hepatitis C virus infection, treatment for 3 months with antiviral drugs cures more than 95 per cent of patients. Some patients with liver failure, advanced cirrhosis and cancer of the liver may require liver transplantation," Dr Shalimar said.

Apart from hepatitis viruses, the liver can be damaged by multiple factors, including an unhealthy lifestyle, consumption of alcohol, consumption of drugs and autoimmune diseases.

Excess fat in the liver can result from excessive body weight, diabetes or a sedentary lifestyle, and this, if uncorrected, can also contribute to liver damage in the long term, Dr Samagra Agarwal, assistant professor in the department, said, quotes PTI.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle which includes avoiding alcohol, a healthy diet, daily exercise and avoiding any potentially liver toxic medicine without doctor's advice are essential for a healthy liver.

The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2024 is "It's Time for Action", which emphasises the urgent need to reduce new hepatitis infections globally, decrease viral-hepatitis-related deaths, and hence achieve the goal of global elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10 countries, including India comprise nearly 66 per cent of the global burden of viral Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

"India is one of the countries with the highest burden of viral hepatitis and accounts for approximately 12 per cent of the world's viral hepatitis cases," Dr Garg said.

"In India alone, estimates suggest that 40 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis B and 6 to 12 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C," he elaborated.

By 2030, the WHO aims to achieve a 90 per cent reduction in new chronic hepatitis infections and a 65 per cent reduction in viral hepatitis-related deaths.

In India, the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program is working towards this goal. Under this programme, all newborns are vaccinated at birth for Hepatitis B and medicines to treat Hepatitis B and C virus are provided free of cost, Dr Garg said, adds PTI.

Blood tests for the detection of hepatitis virus are available at government healthcare facilities, and people with risk factors for hepatitis should get tested, he urged.

"Certain groups are at a high risk of infection, including those who have received blood transfusions, healthcare workers, pregnant women, intravenous drug abusers, family members of hepatitis B virus patients, and men who have sexual intercourse with men," Dr Garg said stressing on screening of pregnant woman.