60% of people infected with the hepatitis B virus are unaware of it.

According to health experts, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health problem affecting more than 350 million people worldwide. In Vietnam alone, approximately 10-20% of the population is infected with this virus. Hepatitis B infection can lead to serious complications such as liver failure, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma.

This information was presented at the conference "Application of Tests in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases" held on the afternoon of November 6th in Hanoi.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Nghiem Luat from MEDLATEC General Hospital warns that chronic hepatitis B can lead to approximately one-third of cirrhosis cases and more than three-quarters of hepatocellular carcinoma cases worldwide. Primary liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with hepatocellular carcinoma accounting for 85-90% of these liver cancers.

Risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma include: chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, old age, male gender, alcoholism, diabetes, fatty liver disease, etc. Among these causes, chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Therefore, when should patients infected with hepatitis B virus be monitored, when is treatment not yet necessary, when should treatment begin, and when should treatment stop? These are currently concerns for many doctors and patients.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Nghiem Luat, acute hepatitis B is the initial stage of hepatitis B, occurring suddenly and with a short duration. Most patients recover after about one to two months. However, some cases can last for months, even years, or progress to chronic hepatitis B, liver failure, etc.

Notably, only about 40% of patients experience symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, sometimes vomiting, fever, flu-like symptoms, aches and pains in the limbs, and discomfort in the right lower rib area, possibly with jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Many people infected with the hepatitis B virus are considered "healthy" or asymptomatic carriers. However, in the long term, depending on their health, these viruses can multiply and begin to damage the liver, potentially causing liver failure and cirrhosis.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Nghiem Luat advises that, to detect acute hepatitis B early and accurately, people infected with the hepatitis B virus should have regular check-ups every 6 months to 1 year and undergo necessary tests as soon as they have suspicious symptoms to assess liver function and the level of viral activity.

According to VnMedia