TRANSCRIPT
Hepatitis is one of the most viral infectious diseases in the world, with data from the World Health Organisation [[W-H-O]] indicating it causes the deaths of around 1.3 million people every year.
That number has gone up from the 1.1 million deaths that were recorded in 2019.
But exactly what is hepatitis?
Dr Joe Lawler, Board Director at Hepatitis New South Wales, explains.
"So, hepatitis is a term that just means inflammation of the liver. Now that inflammation can come from anything and what we're talking about is viral hepatitis. So it's a virus infecting the liver causing inflammation."
The Chief Executive of Hepatitis New South Wales, Steven Drew, explains that there are various forms of hepatitis.
"There are actually five main types, they're all named alphabetically. So it's hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E."
Out of those five types, Mr Drew says there are ones that usually prover particularly harmful to a person's health.
"Look, the most common and more importantly, the ones that can cause the most damage are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and hepatitis D, although hepatitis D is really quite rare."
A report from the W-H-O shows over 254 million people across the world live with hepatitis B and over 50 million with hepatitis C.
Half of those infected by the two types of the disease are aged 38 to 50, while men account for 58 per cent of all cases worldwide.
Dr Lawler says there are various ways hepatitis B and C can be transmitted from one person to another.
"Both Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are, what we call, blood-born viruses. So to acquire the infection, you need to be exposed to the blood of an infected person. And the modes of transmission for hepatitis B and C are quite different. So around the world, the most common way hepatitis B is transmitted is from mother to child, either late in pregnancy or during childbirth. Or from child to child. And it's all about the child's, or infant's, immature immune system. So hepatitis B enters the bloodstream and takes hold and chronic hepatitis B is likely. It's the opposite when adults are exposed to hepatitis B. Most adults that are exposed will clear the infection."
He says the methods for transmission for hepatitis C are different.
"With hepatitis C, this infection again is bloodborne and modes of transmission would include things like backyard tattooing, medical procedures overseas where sterilisation techniques may not be up to scratch. And of course, we need to think about injecting drug use as a risk factor as well."
Despite the increasing number of cases and deaths in Australia and across the world, Hepatitis B and C are both treatable diseases.
People who have been infected by Hepatitis B can go on to live a long life under the right treatment, while Hepatitis C has a cure.
But a lot of people die from the disease due to a lack of knowledge, with only 13 per cent of those living with chronic Hepatitis B actually being diagnosed.
This is due to the high infection rates in many underdeveloped nations across the world.
Mr Drew explains why the disease appears more in members from multicultural communities who recently came to Australia.
"It reflects the prevalence or how common hepatitis is in their home countries. So it is just the simple fact of where they happen to have been born and lived that there is a higher rate of Hepatitis B in particular, and therefore the likelihood and chance of them having it when they come to Australia is higher as a result."
Dr Lawler says Hepatitis is also prevalent in other Australian communities.
"In terms of the Australian population, our First Nations population is at greater risk. The prevalence of hepatitis B in our First Nations people is about three-to-four times that of non-Indigenous Australians. So that's another population to consider."
Drugs and treatments are largely available in Australia for all types of Hepatitis patients.
But experts are calling for people to get tested, even if they're asymptomatic, to ensure they can get ahead of any potential infections.
Mr Drew from Hepatitis New South Wales explains how getting a quick check-up can save lives.
"It's really important you know your hepatitis status, if for no other reason, then because if you find out you have hepatitis C, you can get cured. Which is fantastic. Hepatitis C is a disease that was only discovered about 50 years ago, we already have a cure and we're on the verge of elimination of hepatitis C. Now, to find out your hepatitis C status, there are a couple of things that you can do. One, you can go to a GP and say 'I would like to be tested for hepatitis.' And they can organise that. Now, if it's a local community, they may not have access to Medicare, there are other options."
There are also simple actions people can take themselves to protect themselves from this highly transmittable infection.
Dr Lawler recommends a few.
"If you're getting a tattoo, going to a professional tattoo parlour where you can be assured that the sterilisation techniques are excellent. Avoid surgical procedures overseas where you can't guarantee sterility. And with injecting drug use, of course, making sure that you're not sharing any paraphernalia, whether it's needles, spoons, syringes, tourniquets, and using clean fits every time."
The World Health Organisation has set a target of eliminating all forms of hepatitis by 2030.
Dr Lawler says that while that goal may seem a bit out of reach for now, certain types of the infection can certainly be targeted.
"Look, 2030 is coming up pretty soon. But I think we've got to have goals. And I think, in terms of hepatitis B it's challenging because we don't have a curative therapy yet, as opposed to hepatitis C, where we do have an excellent cure. So that is a more realistic goal, particularly in a country like Australia, where we have universal healthcare and a very comprehensive Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to provide access to this treatment."
