Hepatitis B remains a threat in RI

Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta

The number of people infected with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the country remains high due to a lack of vaccination for babies and low awareness of the disease among the public, says a liver expert.

The Indonesian Heart Researchers Association (PPHI) estimates the number of Hepatitis B sufferers at around 13 million. In Jakarta alone one in every 20 people is infected with HBV.

PPHI adviser Nurul Akbar said on Saturday the virus in some 10 percent of the people had become chronic and therefore required serious treatment.

"Vaccination of children is still the best way to eradicate Hepatitis B," said Nurul, adding that many children born at home with the help of traditional midwives did not receive proper vaccinations.

The government provided Hepatitis B vaccine free of charge, but it did not cover all children, he said.

"Many parents are still asked to pay and may decline because the vaccination is so expensive," he said.

Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver, triggered by various hepatitis viruses, ranging from A to H. The virus persists in bodily fluids such as blood and sperm and can be transmitted to other people, through sexual intercourse, blood transfusions and shared needles.

After a person contracts HBV, it will take three months before the symptoms, if any, develop. Symptoms can range from weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting -- regular flu symptoms -- to a yellowish tinge in the eyes and skin. Only a blood test can affirm the infection.

Acute Hepatitis will take some six months to become chronic. About 90 percent of patients will recover simply from having strong immunity in this period, but 10 percent will become seriously ill. Without medication, their condition could further deteriorate within 10 or 20 years into cirrhosis and finally, liver cancer.

"People do not have enough knowledge about this disease because the symptoms are vague and the period of deterioration is long," said Akbar.

A new medication, adevofir dipivoxil, was recently launched on the Indonesian market for chronic Hepatitis B. Its producers claim the medicine is effective for some 40 percent of who have taken it, has few side effects and does not cause the virus to become resistant.

Unfortunately, a generic version of the medicine remains as yet unavailable. Patients must spend a whopping Rp 1.1 million (US$127.91) on a bottle of 30 tablets of 10 milligrams each. They must take one tablet per day for at least a year to control the virus.