World Hepatitis Day: Everything You Need to Know About the Disease

28th July each year is marked as World Hepatitis Day. It is one of the deadliest diseases that is the cause of over a thousands of deaths around the world. The fatalities are approximately the same as of malaria, tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS.

Hepatitis is the medical condition that damages your liver. Your liver is responsible for vital functions in your body, affecting your metabolism. Other digestive bile acids are also secreted by it. Filtering toxins from your body, excreting cholesterol, breaking down of carbs, fats, proteins are some of its other prominent functions.

While availing timely treatment is important in this case, the treatment can be expensive. So it is advisable you buy a medical insurance cover that ensures you receive quality treatment in time without worrying about the finances.

Continue reading to know more about hepatitis –

What is Hepatitis and its cause?

Hepatitis is a disease that results in inflammation of your liver. There are numerous reasons for the cause of hepatitis, but a viral infection is the most common cause. In some cases, hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis are a side effect of medications, medical drugs, toxins and even alcohol for that matter. Overdose of medicines too can lead to causing hepatitis to an individual. In autoimmune hepatitis, your body produces antibodies against the liver tissue.

Types Of Hepatitis

There are five types of hepatitis, namely A, B, C, D, and E.

Any food or water that is contaminated with traces of faeces results in type A hepatitis.

Type B is known to be caused through bodily fluids like blood, semen, vaginal secretion having traces of the virus. A few unhealthy practices like shared use of razors, consumptions of intravenous drugs or having coitus with a person suffering from such disease can result in type B hepatitis. The majority of cases of liver cancer are known to be caused by this type of virus.

Similar to type B, type C hepatitis is transmitted through body fluids. It is a blood-borne disease and more prevalent in the United States.

Type D hepatitis is a rare disorder that occurs in conjunction with hepatitis B. It is also called as delta hepatitis, and the type B virus is responsible for the multiplication of the hepatitis D virus.

The last type, i.e. type E is a water-borne agent. Bad sanitation facilities that result in faecal matter into water sources causes the spread of type E hepatitis.

Symptoms of Hepatitis

The common symptoms of hepatitis that you should look out for are fatigue, dark colouration of the urine, stools pale in colour, loss of appetite, weight loss due to unexplained reasons, pain in the abdominal region, and flu-like symptoms. One can also witness yellowing of the skin and eyes, akin to jaundice.

Preventive measures for Hepatitis

Getting yourself vaccinated timely can help you in preventing it. These vaccines are available for infants too. Some health insurance plans include the costs of vaccines as well. In case your health cover does not have one, get it included or switch to a more comprehensive plan with more inclusions when you renew health insurance next.

Consumption of food and water from hygienic places can help you to avoid infection. Avoiding raw meat and fish, pre-peeled fruits, raw dairy products are some tips that you keep in mind. Ensure that you consume boiled water.

Clean hygiene practices help in staying away from such infections. Thoroughly washing your hands before any food intake and after using the restrooms will help avoid ingestion of contaminated foods. Frequent use of sanitisers also ensures you don’t pick up germs from surfaces outdoors.

Remember these preventive measures so you can protect your health and avoid contracting such infection. You can also opt for a medical insurance cover to protect you and your family. While you select a suitable plan, make sure you compare using a health insurance premium calculator.