About Hepatitis B & C

About Hepatitis B

With an estimated 400 million infected worldwide, Hepatitis B Virus is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. Hepatitis B, a virus that infects the liver, is passed from one person to the other via blood and body fluids. Hepatitis B infections are either acute or chronic. Acute hepatitis B can last from a few weeks to a few months and you may recover yourself. Chronic hepatitis B is a disease that may remain for life and can lead to serious liver diseases, including liver cancer. Preventing Hepatitis B is possible as long as you have not already been infected with the virus. If you have been infected, there are hepatitis B treatments available. Unfortunately, as sufferers know, Hepatitis B diminishes one's quality of life, exacting a physical, psychological and financial strain.

About Hepatitis C

An estimated 150-200 million people worldwide are infected with Hepatitis C Virus. It is one of five known hepatitis viruses. An infectious disease affecting the liver, it is often asymptomatic, but once established, chronic infection can progress to fibrosis (scarring of the liver), cirrhosis (advanced scarring), liver failure and liver cancer. Worse, the diagnosis of Hepatitis C is rarely made during the acute phase of the disease because the majority of people infected experience no symptoms. Those who do experience symptoms in the acute phase rarely seek medical attention because the symptoms appear inconsequential. Adding insult to injury, the diagnosis of chronic phase hepatitis C is also challenging due to the absence of symptoms until advanced liver disease develops, which may not occur until decades into the disease. Mainstream approaches to treatment include interferons and antivirals, but patients complain that modern medicine's protocol is as bad as the virus itself.