28 July,2016 11:34 AM IST | | mid-day online correspondent
On the occasion of World Hepatits Day, health experts list 10 preventive measures that could be taken to help keep the debilitating illness at arm's length
World Hepatitis Day
>> Early vaccination can be greatly beneficial: Children from the age of 1 are recommeded mandatory Hepatitis A vaccination since they are at a high risk of contracting the disease. Vaccines are given as a shot into the muscle in two doses 6-18 months apart and should be started before the age 24 months. The dosage is different for adults depending on the type. Two doses are administered 6-18 months apart for Hepatitis A and up to 4 doses may be required if the vaccine is combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
All children under 19 are recommended routine Hepatitis B vaccines, which starts with the first dose before the newborn is discharged from the hospital. The hepatitis immune globulin should also be administered, both within 12 hours of birth for babies born to a mother with hepatitis B surface antigen positivity.
>> Good hygiene is the key: Clean water and proper sewage handling is essention to prevent diseases like Hepatitis A since it is transmitted primarily through the oral-fecal route.
>> Keep your blood safe and practice safe sex: Screening blood prior to transfusion, abstaining from the use of injection drugs, safe needle and sharps practices and indulging in safe sexual practices are essential since Hepatitis B and C are transmitted through blood and multiple bodily fluids.
>> Regulate alcohol intake: Since people with Alcoholic Hepatitis have no symptoms and excessive consumption can lead to Hepatitis and cirrhosis, health experts recommend that women have less than 3 drinks on any given day and less than 7 per week, while men are advised to consume less than 4 drinks daily and less than 14 per week.
About World Hepatitis Day
Observed on July 28 every year, World Hepatitis Day, aims to global awareness of hepatitis - a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E - and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This year's theme is - Prevent Hepatitis: It's up to you. It's also one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Hepatitis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic disease and killing close to 1.4 million people every year.
