The silent threat to the liver: everything you need to know about viral hepatitis B and C
Years of life without pain or fatigue. Without treatment, chronic inflammation can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The good news: it can be prevented and cured without side effects.
When we think about health, the heart, lungs, or blood sugar levels usually take center stage. But there is one organ, quiet and sophisticated, that performs more than 500 vital functions every day without us feeling it: the liver. Ahead of World Hepatitis Day, it is time to turn the spotlight on it, especially on two common viruses that can endanger it without us knowing: Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
The biggest challenge with viral liver diseases is the lack of symptoms. These viruses can reside in the body for many years, and sometimes even decades, without causing pain, unusual fatigue, or jaundice. However, without diagnosis and treatment, chronic inflammation can gradually lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and even liver cancer. The good news is that today, more than ever, we have effective tools at our disposal for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Hepatitis B: prevention is the key
This virus is transmitted mainly through contact with infected blood, unprotected sexual relations, or from mother to baby during birth. Although it is a chronic disease that is usually not fully curable, there are currently very effective antiviral drugs that suppress the replication of the virus and prevent damage. At the same time, numerous studies are being conducted around the world examining new molecules aimed at curing and eliminating the virus. Since 1992, every baby born in Israel is routinely vaccinated against Hepatitis B in the delivery room. The vaccine is safe and is one of the main reasons for the dramatic decrease in new infection rates in the country.
Hepatitis C: a true medical revolution
In the past, Hepatitis C was considered a severe disease with prolonged treatments that caused significant side effects. Today, the picture is completely different. The virus is transmitted mainly through direct blood-to-blood contact, for example, in blood transfusions given before 1992, in piercings or tattoos performed under non-sterile conditions, and through the use of contaminated needles. The therapeutic revolution is that today there are modern oral drugs, taken for only a few weeks, that cause very few side effects. The bottom line: these drugs lead to a full cure in more than 95% of cases and are defined as one of the greatest successes of modern medicine.
The World Health Organization has defined Hepatitis C as a virus that can be eradicated, and many countries are participating in the global effort to eliminate it. Israel is also a partner in this vision: the Ministry of Health is leading a national program for detection and treatment, and since 2021, there has been a recommendation to screen high-risk populations first, and subsequently to expand the screening to the entire population using a simple, one-time blood test to detect Hepatitis C antibodies. The test is available, included in the health basket, and free of charge. Anyone who tests positive is entitled to treatment within the framework of the health basket.
In summary, the liver does not always know how to cry for help, but we can listen in time. One blood test and one decision can prevent unnecessary suffering and perhaps save a life.
The author is a specialist in liver diseases, gastroenterology, and internal medicine, a volunteer at the "Lemaanchem" organization headed by the recipient of the President's Award, Rabbi Yossi Erblich.
