ISLAMABAD: World Hepatitis Day would be observed on Monday to create awareness among the people about the disease. According to World Health Organization, the control of hepatitis outbreak has become a burning issue in Asian countries, especially with around 1.5 million clinical cases of hepatitis occurring each year.

Health experts said there are two types of viral hepatitis in Pakistan, one is short lived and self-limited hepatitis A and E usually spread through feco-oral-route while hepatitis C and B is a blood borne disease and usually chronic. According to health professionals hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water while hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected body fluids like from blood transfusions or invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment.

They said hepatitis B is transmitted by sexual contact. The symptoms of hepatitis include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. HBV is the most serious type of viral hepatitis and the only type causing chronic hepatitis for which a vaccine is available. Injection drug use is the major risk factor for HBV and HCV infections. The main reason for such a high incidence of hepatitis is that treatment becomes complicated because injected drug users suffer from other conditions such as HIV, mental illness, alcoholism and they have little or no contact with the health care providers.