Millions of people in India are living with hepatitis B or C, but they are unaware of it. They go to work every day and live normal lives, yet a virus silently damages their livers. By the time symptoms appear, the condition has often become more serious, increasing the risk of liver cirrhosis, liver failure, or even liver cancer.
According to Dr. Souradeep Chaudhary of the Internal Medicine Department at Medanta Hospital, the hepatitis virus burden in India is quite high. It is estimated that approximately 3-4 percent of the country’s population is infected with hepatitis B, while 0.5-1 percent have hepatitis C. This means that over 10 million people are living with chronic infections. The problem is that both viruses can remain asymptomatic for years, so most people do not get tested until severe liver damage occurs.
In India, five types of hepatitis viruses—A, B, C, D, and E—account for the largest number of cases. Hepatitis A is typically responsible for 10-30 percent of acute cases in areas with poor sanitation, while hepatitis E is associated with 10-40 percent of acute hepatitis and 15-45 percent of acute liver failure, especially in pregnant women. Lack of awareness is also a major problem. Many people believe that liver disease only affects alcoholics, which is not entirely true. Some people also believe that hepatitis is spread through casual contact, such as eating, hugging, or coughing, which is a misconception.
Hepatitis B and C infections are often transmitted through unsafe injections, unscreened blood transfusions, unsafe surgical or dental procedures, tattoos or piercings with infected needles, and from mother to child during childbirth. If hepatitis B or C is left untreated, it can gradually lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, which can progress to liver cancer. The good news is that hepatitis C is now treatable and can be cured with 8 to 12 weeks of medication. However, most cases of hepatitis B require long-term treatment.