#preventing hepatitis

[worldhepatitisday]

Hepatitis killing thousands daily, WHO warns in new report.

The number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis infections is increasing and already accounts for 3,500 deaths daily, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) released on Tuesday.

The disease is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, with 1.3 million deaths per year, the same as tuberculosis, another top infectious killer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report.

“This report paints a troubling picture,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because far too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated.”

Swift course correction

Even though better tools for diagnosis and treatment are available and product prices are decreasing, testing and treatment coverage rates have stalled, the UN health agency stated in the report, released at the World Hepatitis Summit.

But, reaching the WHO elimination goal by 2030 should still be achievable, if swift action is taken now, the agency said.

“WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal – at access prices – to save lives and turn this trend around,” the UN health agency chief said.

The waiting area at a health clinic in Rwanda. Hepatitis B birth-dose immunization coverage is only 45 per cent globally, with less than 20 per cent coverage in the WHO African region.

Spike in deaths

More than 6,000 people are getting newly infected with viral hepatitis each day, according to the report. New data from 187 countries show that the estimated number of deaths from viral hepatitis increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022. Of these, 83 per cent were caused by hepatitis B and 17 per cent by hepatitis C.  Updated WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people live with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022. Half the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C infections is among people 30 and 54 years old, with 12 per cent among children. Men account for 58 per cent of all cases.

Gaps in diagnosis and treatment 

Across all regions, only 13 per cent of people living with chronic hepatitis B infection had been diagnosed and approximately three per cent, or seven million, had received antiviral therapy at the end of 2022, falling far below global targets to treat 80 per cent of people living with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C by 2030. The burden of viral hepatitis also varies regionally. The WHO African Region bears 63 per cent of new hepatitis B infections, yet despite this burden, only 18 per cent of newborns in the region receive the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination. In the western Pacific region, which accounts for 47 per cent of hepatitis B deaths, treatment coverage stands at 23 per cent among people diagnosed, which is far too low to reduce mortality. In addition, despite the availability of affordable generic viral hepatitis medicines, many countries fail to procure them at these lower prices.

© PAHO

In Chile, new hepatitis treatments mean around 98 per cent of patients recover completely.

Eradicating the epidemic

The WHO report outlines a series of actions to advance a public health approach to viral hepatitis, designed to accelerate progress towards ending the epidemic by 2030. They include expanding access to testing and diagnostics, strengthening primary care prevention efforts and shifting from policies to implementation for equitable treatment. But funding remains a challenge, the agency said, with current levels insufficient to meet the needs. WHO said this arises from a combination of factors, including limited awareness of cost-saving interventions and tools and competing health priorities. The new report also highlights strategies for countries to address these inequities and access the tools at the most affordable prices available.

SDG 3: HEALTHIER GLOBAL POPULATION

Promote mental health and wellbeing and strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse

Reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from pollution, contamination and tobacco

Achieve universal health coverage and provide access to affordable, essential vaccines and medicines

Reduce global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100,000 live births and under-five mortality to at least 25 per 1,000 live births

End epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and combat hepatitis and other communicable diseases

Sustainable development hinges on ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing at all ages.

[queenspharma]

Hepatitis C, a viral infection that primarily affects the liver, is a concern for millions globally. Often transmitted through contact with infected blood, it is often a result of contact with infected blood, such as sharing needles during drug use or receiving contaminated medical procedures. Chronic Hepatitis C can lead to serious liver damage over time and may result in complications such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.

[head-post]

Rishi Sunak sorry for infected blood scandal

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has apologised “sincerely and unequivocally” to the victims of the contaminated blood scandal, saying it was “a day of shame for the British state.”

The Prime Minister apologised in a packed House of Commons hours after Brian Langstaff published his report accusing the British government of covering up the disaster.

Sunak spared no element of the British government in his criticism, which highlighted the blunders of ministers, civil servants and the NHS. However, he himself faced accusations that he had added to the victims’ pain by failing to set up a compensation scheme a year ago when Langstaff first proposed it. He said:

This is a day of shame for the British state. Today’s report shows a decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life – from the National Health Service to the civil service to ministers in successive governments at every level – that people and institutions in which we place our trust failed in the most harrowing and devastating way.

History of the scandal’s origins

The mass human infections occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Most of the victims suffered from haemophilia, or a blood clotting disorder, and were injected with a drug called clotting factor VIII, a gene defect in which can lead to haemophilia. The US produced the drug, where high-risk people, including drug users and prisoners, often became donors. Donated blood had no HIV tests until 1986 and no hepatitis C tests until 1991. And one carrier of the virus is enough to spoil the entire batch, Sky News reports.

Read more HERE

[brainboxschool]

🌟 Join us in commemorating World Liver Day on April 19th! 🌟

👉 Did you know that your liver is one of the hardest-working organs in your body? It plays a vital role in digestion, metabolism, and detoxification. That's why it's crucial to keep it healthy!

💡 On #WorldLiverDay, let's raise awareness about liver health and the importance of prevention. From hepatitis to fatty liver disease, understanding these conditions can help us take proactive steps towards better liver health.

[harmeet-saggi]

Why Do We Need A Preventive Health Checkup?

Preventive health checkups are important because they allow your doctor to screen for health problems before you experience any symptoms. Many health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, can be detected early on through screenings, which means that you can begin treatment sooner and may even prevent the condition from progressing. In addition to screenings, preventive health checkups also include a physical exam and measurements such as blood pressure and weight. This allows your doctor to track any changes in your health over time and make sure that you're on track with your healthy habits.

[ecomehdi]

Unlocking the Hidden Threat: Navigating Hepatitis C and the Power of Direct-Acting Antivirals 2024

Hepatitis C virus, a silent intruder in the body, often goes undetected until it wreaks havoc on the liver. The link between Hepatitis C and liver cancer is well-established, but what if there was a key to preventing this progression? In this article, we explore the underutilization of Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) in Hep C-related liver cancer and why it’s crucial for everyone to be…

[hopkinrx]

Fatty Liver Disease: Important Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Fatty Liver Disease: Important Causes, Symptoms, and TreatmentIntroductionWhat is Fatty Liver Disease?Causes of Fatty Liver Disease Poor Dietary Habits Sedentary Lifestyle Obesity Alcohol ConsumptionSymptoms of Fatty Liver Disease Fatigue Abdominal Discomfort Jaundice SwellingDiagnosing Fatty Liver Disease Blood Tests Imaging Studies Liver BiopsyTreatment and Management Lifestyle Changes Balanced…

[ankitajainworks]

Prevention Measures against Hepatitis.

On World Hepatitis day, Spread awareness about Hepatitis and Share with others.

Source

[asynca]

I hope this question isn't too random. One thing I noticed is people are for some reason are acting like the pandemic is over and just return to normal and no masks. Even though it is still going on and still effects so many people. Why do you think they think its over?

This is probably quite a deep psychological question about the capacity of people to tolerate fear and stress over a long period of time. I could probably answer it in a more professional way than I'm going to.

Several of my friends are doctors. The research that's coming out about how it's likely to shorten the lives of literally everyone who gets it (especially multiple times), about how if we continue to let it rip a huge percentage of the population (20-30%) will end up measurably disabled in some way by it by 2035 is like... this is serious. This is not a 'flu'. We are also discovering several cancers or other disabling conditions are caused by viruses - I worry a lot about the capacity of COVID to ruin lives. It also has a general effect on the brain that causes lower capacity, less ability to regulate emotions and causes aggression. New mental illness is a common long covid symptom.

I do what I can to avoid it. I still wear a n95 mask out in public. I make my wife do it too, even though we are usually the only two people out wearing masks. I don't take my children indoors anywhere public - we go to parks and playgrounds. My daughter has been in a supermarket just once in her life. Is that good for her? Probably not. But it's a darn sight better than a preventable disability (or type 1 diabetes, or hepatitis, or actually dying) at 2 years old. Not to mention the fact I have a baby sub 6 months old and a father who is very ill and would probably die if he got COVID.

COVID is serious. Governments could put in simple useful measures (like mandating better air filtration and circulation in schools and public buildings etc) but they don't. Everyone's just pretending it's over. It's in the 'too hard' basket.

The research and proof is there in peer reviewed journals. People are just ignoring it until they can't ignore it anymore because either they end up disabled themselves, or someone they love does or dies. I don't know what to do anymore, man. I just try and take the precautions I can reasonably take understanding the capacity of this extremely transmissible virus to kill or disable me or the people I love.

[mohammedtalatene]

🚨🚨🚨 *The Palestinian Government Media Office publishes an update on the most important statistics of the genocidal war waged by the “Israeli” occupation on the Gaza Strip for today (240) – Sunday, June 2, 2024 AD:*

◻️ (240) days since the genocidal war.

◻️ (3,247) massacres committed by the occupation army.

◻️ (46,439) martyrs and missing persons.

◻️ (10,000) missing.

◻️ (36,439) martyrs who arrived in hospitals.

◻️ (15,438) child martyrs.

◻️ (32) They were martyred as a result of famine.

◻️ (10,231) female martyrs.

◻️ (498) martyrs of medical staff.

◻️ (70) martyrs from the Civil Defense.

◻️ (147) martyred journalists.

◻️ (7) Mass graves established by the occupation inside hospitals.

◻️ (520) martyrs were recovered from 7 mass graves inside hospitals.

◻️ (148) shelter centers targeted by the “Israeli” occupation.

◻️ (82,627) wounded and injured.

◻️ (70%) of the victims are children and women.

◻️ (17,000) children live without their parents or one of them.

◻️ (11,000) wounded people need to travel for treatment abroad.

◻️ (10,000) cancer patients face death and need treatment.

◻️ (1,095,000) infected with infectious diseases as a result of displacement.

◻️ (20,000) cases of viral hepatitis infection due to displacement.

◻️ (60,000) pregnant women are at risk due to lack of access to health care.

◻️ (350,000) chronic patients are at risk due to preventing the introduction of medications.

◻️ (5,000) detainees from the Gaza Strip during the genocidal war.

◻️ (310) cases of arrest of health personnel.

◻️ (20) cases of arrest of journalists whose names are known.

◻️ (2) million displaced people in the Gaza Strip.

◻️ (192) government headquarters destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (109) schools and universities were completely destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (318) schools and universities were partially destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (604) mosques completely destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (200) mosques partially destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (3) Churches targeted and destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (88,300) housing units were completely destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (303,000) housing units partially destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (78,000) tons of explosives dropped by the occupation on the Gaza Strip.

◻️ (33) hospitals that were taken out of service by the occupation.

◻️ (55) health centers that the occupation took out of service.

◻️ (160) health institutions targeted by the occupation.

◻️ (131) ambulances were targeted by the occupation.

◻️ (206) archaeological and heritage sites destroyed by the occupation.

◻️ (33) billion dollars, the direct initial losses of the war of extermination on the Gaza Strip.

*Galestinian Government Media Office*

Sunday, June 2, 2024 AD

https://gofund.me/0f3edba2

[wumblr]

since everyone in public health is dead at the wheel, you should know: monkeypox has a r0 value of about 2 (omicron BA2 and measles are both near 12, which is about the maximum we know of, until we get clearer data on BA4/5 next month).

r0 value is number of likely infections per patient, so that also means monkeypox infections will likely double until it reaches peak infection. this could be a million people by the end of the year because it is 400 now (in the US).

it is aerosol and fomite transmissible. fomite viral particles survive in the environment for two months.

vaccination is currently available only for confirmed cases, and we will likely only be able to produce a million doses by end of year. they will likely not be distributed to the most at-risk people. this will likely not be enough to prevent widespread infection. i might recommend seeking testing in absence of symptoms, to catch any asymptomatic infections.

anyone born before 1980 is likely to already be vaccinated for it (smallpox vaccination seems to remain 85% effective with no waning, although the new vaccine recommended is jynneos and healthcare providers are hesistant to offer the older vaccine because it scars the injection site). if you're 40+ it might be a good time to get into volunteer outreach or hospice care.

it may have a fatality rate between 1-10%, more likely 1-3%, this is affected by factors like overall immune vulnerability, nutrition, and heatlh. severe progression is characterized by nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, and other systematic-failure indicators. the virus had already mutated substantially by the time it was detected, so this may be an indicator that there are far more unknown, mild cases (i.e. bringing the fatality rate down substatially, one would hope.)

it is distinguishable from chickenpox because the sores progress at the same rate, while in chickenpox each sore may be at different stages. any healthcare provider or sexual health clinic will likely be able to test for both. now is not the time to ignore symptoms. petechiae are also a post-covid associated sequala, i believe they also progress at different rates like chickenpox but i'm not sure if there's a clear clinical definition of covid sores yet. it's also possible these represent undetected pox cases. it was likely circulating as early as april.

monkeypox infection may cause as a few as one sore, which scabs and then peels. debridement or exfoliation is not recommended, precisely because viral particles can survive for two months, although it's believed to stop being transmissible after the first layer of skin heals. vitamin A is recommended during recovery, ideally from nutritionally dense foods.

chickenpox can also cause facial paralysis. hepatitis-associated liver failure in children has been essentially confirmed as a post-covid sequela (adenovirus was ruled out as a cause of hepatitis, if you heard about that, although it is also still endemic). dysentery, cholera, and polio are back. between 10-30% of covid patients are now likely immunocompromised from long covid, although severe cases are less than 10%.

our failure to manage this has damaged the collective immune imprint, things that used to be rare or eradicated can now gain a foothold much more easily. this will keep happening until we end capitalism, we didn't have to live with influenza or salmonella either, and they make bank off the 1.3m deaths of heart disease and cancer every year too.

correct me if i'm wrong but i'm pretty sure everything except that last part is stated in this PDF. also had to look up the r0 value separately, i don't think that's in there

[northgazaupdates]

18 April 2024

Environmental engineer Dr. Tamer Al-Najjar describes the Hepatitis C outbreak in north Gaza, with which he himself and his family are afflicted. The following was entered into a machine translation software and as such is bound to have some flaws, but the main ideas are still clear. Dr. Al-Najjar’s condition continues to worsen, and he has asked for prayers for his recovery.

He writes,

Since it has become a personal and family guest, I would like to update the official description of hepatitis C, so that the world knows it in its realistic form!

Regardless of its symptoms that I will mention, its basic definition begins with its causes. It spread among us after six months of total war and complete annihilation against us, after the complete destruction of the infrastructure, including sewage and water, and after the spread of thousands of tons of solid waste and rubbish. sanitation in the streets, roads and holes resulting from the bombing that did not stop, and after the spread of sewage among people and under their feet everywhere, and preventing any civil effort from exercising its work in reducing these massive disasters and targeting crews, devices and equipment, and killing all ideas of progress regarding this matter. After the inhuman conditions we have been living through for months...

From here, we were all infected. From here, and because of the previous set of reasons, as a result of the continuous aggression, the barbaric war, and the prevention of the entry of the necessary capabilities and tools...we were infected with hepatitis and it spread among us. And it spread everywhere!

As for its symptoms, it is a very harsh condition that we go through, old and young, in which we experience all the symptoms of the terrifying world, high temperature, severe diarrhea, severe colic, nausea and profound fatigue, fatal vomiting, blocked appetite, a feeling of suffocation to a large extent, with complete isolation from the surroundings for fear of infection.. .

[beardedmrbean]

I heard we are now at the cusp of chlamydia being untreatable via antibiotics, fun times

In United States, drug-resistant gonorrhea is a public health problem of national concern. But untreatable gonorrhea isn’t the only STD that has health officials worried.

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization released new treatment guidelines for three common sexually transmitted diseases — chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis— in response to increasing antibiotic resistance.

Gonorrhea has developed the strongest resistance to drugs, but the worries about untreatable syphilis and chlamydia come at a time when rates for the three STDs are rising rapidly in the U.S, especially among young people ages 20 to 24. According to data published by the CDC in 2014, the most recent year available: cases of chlamydia have increased 2.5 percent; gonorrhea 5.1 percent; and syphilis 15.1 percent. This is the first increase in the United States since 2006.

How worried should we be?

“STDs are hidden epidemics of enormous health and economic consequence in the United States,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the US, STDs are most frequent among college-age women, the highest prevalence being among women, ages 20 to 24.

According to the CDC, there are about 820,000 new gonorrhea infections each year in the United States. In fact, gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease, after chlamydia.

In the past, gonorrhea was successful treated by several classes of antibiotics, including the ubiquitous penicillin. Over time, however, gonorrhea has developed resistance to many of them, and now, we are down to one recommended effective class of antibiotics to treat it.

The problem doesn’t end there. Gonorrhea is even starting to show decreased susceptibility to this “last line” treatment option. This makes this bacterium a multidrug-resistant organism, which are often called “superbugs”.

As for chlamydia and syphilis, drug resistant strains have not become common in the US yet, but the WHO report warns that this is a growing problem in many parts of the world.

How can untreatable STDs be prevented?

Anyone who is sexually active can get an STD.

That said, STDs are preventable and there are steps you can take to keep yourself and your partner healthy. Remember that protecting your health is your responsibility:

Condoms: Use them correctly every time you have sex.

Have fewer partners: Ideally, agree to only have sex with one person who agrees to only have sex with you.

Talk with your partner: Talk with your sex partner about STDs and staying safe before having sex.

Get tested: Make sure you both get tested to know for sure that neither of you has an STD.

Get vaccinated: Safe and highly effective vaccines are available for two STDs: hepatitis B and HPV. HPV is in fact the most common STD. There are specific recommendations for routine and catch up vaccinations for these two STDs. ____________________

This is from 2016 and I cut a bunch out of the middle.

2nd bullet point there probably gonna make some people grumpy, something about suggesting monogamy makes people mad.

[meanmisscharles]

OKAY SO IT'S WORLD AIDS DAY, BABES

First of all, I'm going to just talk about KNOWING YOUR STATUS!

"Why, Meanmisscharles?"

BECAUSE KNOWING YOUR STATUS IS SUPER FUCKING IMPORTANT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK IT IS.

Being tested for HIV (and other blood-borne viruses, like Hepatitis C) is the first step in AIDS prevention. You should get tested if you're having sex right now, if you've had sex, or if you think maybe you might have sex. You should also get tested if you've used syringes for substance use, are using syringes, or might use syringes for substance use, or are partners with someone that does. You can also acquire HIV from shared piercing and tattoo needles.

You should know YOUR status, even if you don't know your partner's status. Some testing centers offer couple's testing - but make sure that option is one that you feel safe and comfortable doing.

A "non-reactive" or "negative" HIV test means that you can get on PrEP and keep your status that way, with correct and regular use.

A "reactive" or "positive" HIV test means that you can start ART (anti-retroviral treatment) that with regular and correct use, can bring your status to "undetectable" - which means that your viral load is undetectable on standard blood tests and you won't pass HIV to partners through sex.

Knowing your status so you can take steps to prevent transmission, or start treatment, is about empowering yourself.

Find out where you can get free HIV testing here:

Freehivtest.net

Helpstopthevirus.com

I know all the smart young people following me know this, but I still wanted to put something out there. I remember what it was like, before testing was available and I remember the people that fought so hard for this to be different than it was then.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Physicians have a history of antagonism to the idea that they themselves might present a health risk to their patients. Famously, when Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis originally proposed handwashing as a measure to reduce purpureal fever, he was met with ridicule and ostracized from the profession. Physicians were also historically reluctant to adopt new practices to protect not only patients but also physicians themselves against infection in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. In 1985, the CDC presented its guidance on workplace transmission, instructing physicians to provide care, “regardless of whether HCWs [health care workers] or patients are known to be infected with HTLV-III/LAV [human T-lymphotropic virus type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus] or HBV [hepatitis B virus].” These CDC guidelines offered universal precautions, common-sense, nonstigmatizing, standardized methods to reduce infection. Yet, some physicians bristled at the idea that they need to take simple, universal public health steps to prevent transmission, even in cases in which infectivity is unknown, and instead advocated for a medicalized approach: testing or masking only in cases when a patient is known to be infected. Such an individualized medicalized approach fails to meet the public health needs of the moment.

[...]

Masking as a disability accommodation in health care settings should be recognized as part of physicians’ ethical obligations. Access to health care is a particularly fraught issue, as people with disabilities often require more frequent and specialized health care than nondisabled individuals. Physicians have an ethical responsibility to promote the well-being of their patients and do no harm. Wearing a mask on a disabled patient’s request to protect them from contracting COVID-19, which could be deadly for that patient, squarely fits within physicians’ ethical obligation to provide for patients’ care and to ensure their ability to safely partake in health care settings.