Jakartans still unaware of Hepatitis B spread<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Not many people here seem to be aware of the
\nHepatitis B virus, which statistics reveal still infects one in
\n20 Jakartans, the same proportion of the population infected ten
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
Internist Rino Alvani Gani from the Association of Indonesian
\nLiver Researchers (PPHI) said on Thursday that the figure was
\nalarmingly high when compared to the number of people suffering
\ndiabetes mellitus in Jakarta, which was only 2 percent of the
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
Latest data shows that there are now more than 10 million
\npeople living in the capital.<\/p>\n
Rino was quoting figures from an annual survey conducted by
\nPPHI, revealing that the number of Jakartans infected with the
\nHepatitis B virus had not changed in a decade.<\/p>\n
He said the country was still vulnerable to the virus with
\nprevalence of the virus within specific communities ranging
\nbetween 4 percent and 34 percent.<\/p>\n
Some 11 million of the 350 million people suffering from
\nHepatitis B around the world are Indonesians, he added.<\/p>\n
Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver triggered by
\nvarious hepatitis viruses, ranging from A to H. The virus
\npersists in the blood, sperm, saliva and other bodily fluids. It
\ncan be transmitted to other people by sharing personal items
\ncontaining traces of bodily fluids, through sexual intercourse,
\nblood transfusions or even from the permanent needle used for
\ntattooing.<\/p>\n
Population density, low economic status and unhygienic
\nlifestyles are the main factors contributing to the epidemic
\nlevels of the virus.<\/p>\n
Rino claimed that there was no evidence suggesting that the
\nvirus could be spread through the use of towels, bed sheets,
\ncutlery or dishes used by people infected with Hepatitis B.<\/p>\n
"The Hepatitis B virus is responsible for more than 80 percent
\nof liver cancer and cirrhosis, and can slowly kill those who are
\ninfected with it within up to 20 years, surviving virtually
\nunnoticed, as it does not show any immediate nor significant
\nsymptoms," he said.<\/p>\n
Rino said that only 20 percent of the sufferers exhibit the
\nvirus's flu-like symptoms, such as weakness, loss of appetite,
\nnausea and a yellowish tinge in the eyes and skin.<\/p>\n
"It's better if people have a test to see whether they have
\ncontracted the virus or even to see if the virus has started to
\nreplicate. It is curable because vaccines to fight the virus have
\nbeen found, and it is not as fatal as Hepatitis C.<\/p>\n
"However, most sufferers only find out that they have the
\nvirus after their livers have been damaged. By that time there is
\nnot much we can do," Rino said during a free Hepatitis B
\nscreening test in the food court of Pasar Festival Kuningan,
\nSouth Jakarta. (bby)<\/p>",
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