35m people suffer from liver disease in country
Thursday, 28 October 2010
The number of people suffering from liver disease is increasing at an alarming rate as about 35 million (3.5 crore) people are somehow suffering from it, reports BSS.
"About 15 million people are now suffering from the chronic liver disease hepatitis-B virus, 0.8 million people from hepatitis-C virus and nearly 20 million people are suffering from other liver-related diseases like liver cirrhosis, cancer and fatty liver disease," Professor Mobin Khan, President of Bangladesh Hepatology Society, said.
He said that Hepatitis-B was the major cause of liver disease in the country. The cause of the 43 per cent cases admitted to hospitals with acute hepatitis and jaundice was hepatitis E virus, 22 per cent cases by hepatitis B, 8 per cent was hepatitis A and 3 per cent was hepatitis C, he said.
Prof Mobin, a leading hepatologist in the country, said Hepatitis B virus causes about 41 per cent of liver cirrhosis and 25 per cent of liver cancer in the country. Though the vaccine of hepatitis B is very effective to prevent the virus, very few people take the vaccine for lack of awareness, he said.
He further said that in 80 per cent cases, hepatitis B is not curable and prevention is the best way to combat the disease. But hepatitis C can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment.
Though hepatitis A and E viruses are not so malignant, hepatitis B and C pose serious threats to human health, he said, stressing the need to be cautious during blood transfusion and using syringe and needles.
"About 15 million people are now suffering from the chronic liver disease hepatitis-B virus, 0.8 million people from hepatitis-C virus and nearly 20 million people are suffering from other liver-related diseases like liver cirrhosis, cancer and fatty liver disease," Professor Mobin Khan, President of Bangladesh Hepatology Society, said.
He said that Hepatitis-B was the major cause of liver disease in the country. The cause of the 43 per cent cases admitted to hospitals with acute hepatitis and jaundice was hepatitis E virus, 22 per cent cases by hepatitis B, 8 per cent was hepatitis A and 3 per cent was hepatitis C, he said.
Prof Mobin, a leading hepatologist in the country, said Hepatitis B virus causes about 41 per cent of liver cirrhosis and 25 per cent of liver cancer in the country. Though the vaccine of hepatitis B is very effective to prevent the virus, very few people take the vaccine for lack of awareness, he said.
He further said that in 80 per cent cases, hepatitis B is not curable and prevention is the best way to combat the disease. But hepatitis C can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment.
Though hepatitis A and E viruses are not so malignant, hepatitis B and C pose serious threats to human health, he said, stressing the need to be cautious during blood transfusion and using syringe and needles.