Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that cause inflammation of the liver. Both can become chronic and, if untreated, lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. India has one of the highest burdens of hepatitis B in the world. The good news: hepatitis C is now curable, and hepatitis B can be effectively controlled.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is caused by the HBV virus, transmitted through blood, sexual contact, or from mother to child at birth. Most adults who get hepatitis B clear the infection naturally. But when it becomes chronic, it can silently damage the liver over decades.
Treatment: There is no cure for hepatitis B, but antiviral medications (tenofovir, entecavir) can suppress the virus and prevent liver damage. Regular monitoring every 6 months is essential.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is caused by the HCV virus, primarily transmitted through blood. Many patients do not know they have it until liver damage is already present.
Treatment: Hepatitis C can now be cured with Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) medications. A 12-week course achieves cure rates above 95%. This is one of the most significant advances in liver medicine in the last decade.
Who Should Be Tested?
Testing is recommended for:
- Anyone born to a mother with hepatitis B
- Anyone who received a blood transfusion before 2000
- People with a history of IV drug use
- Healthcare workers
- Anyone with unexplained elevated liver enzymes
Risk of Liver Cancer
Both hepatitis B and C significantly increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), especially if cirrhosis has developed. Patients with chronic hepatitis require ultrasound surveillance every 6 months along with AFP blood tests to detect cancer early when it is most treatable.