Hepatitis-related mortality is increasing worldwide. By 2015, viral hepatitis caused 1.34 million deaths, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published yesterday.
A figure comparable to the deaths due to tuberculosis or AIDS in the world, pathologies which, however, are in decline.
According to the WHO, 325 million people live on the planet with chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection. The vast majority of these people do not have access to screening and treatment that could save them life. "As a result, millions of people are facing the risk of slow development towards chronic liver disease, cancer and death," the World Health Organization warns.
Hepatitis B patients are predominantly in Africa and the Western Pacific. Hepatitis C is present everywhere, although it varies from one area to another. People are infected with hepatitis C by "risky injections into care facilities and injection drug use".
There is no vaccine against hepatitis C. However, hepatitis B vaccines have been effective in limiting the number of new infections, but WHO points out that access to the vaccine remains low. Getting treatment is also difficult in many parts of the world.
Five types of viral hepatitis
There are five types of viral hepatitis that can be transmitted by blood or other infectious body fluids such as sperm (virus B, C) or by ingestion of contaminated food or water (virus A and E) . The hepatitis D agent is an incomplete virus that affects only people with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis C is mainly transmitted by blood (blood not tested, material badly sterilized, tattoo ..).
The most fatal are hepatitis type B and C, which cause almost 96% of deaths, mainly by liver cancer or cirrhosis. They often do not show symptoms at first and progress in silence until severe liver problems or cancer occur.
Very expensive treatments
Most of the deaths occur in high- and middle-income countries with a high incidence in East Asia, even though there is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B and effective treatments for hepatitis C. But these very expensive treatments "Remain beyond the reach of any country, rich or poor," notes Dr. Graham Cooke of Imperial College London.
As for hepatitis B vaccination, it remains very inadequate, as "a large proportion of the world" is still not vaccinated, says Dr. Cooke. To date, there is no hepatitis C vaccine.
As for recent developments, researchers note an increase in mortality in poor countries, which will require "appropriate responses", particularly in terms of funding.
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