World Hepatitis Day: It’s Time for Action

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver often caused by a virus. Viral hepatitis is a significant health concern worldwide. There are five main hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D and E. These five types are of significant concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and
the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people worldwide and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

World Hepatitis Day is observed under the theme: “Time for action”, a call for proactiveness and action on viral hepatitis. The NICD’s Centre for Vaccines and Immunology (CVI) performs passive laboratory-based surveillance for hepatitis A, B and C using data from the NHLS corporate data warehouse comprising laboratory data from the public health sector.

Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, 2 570 hepatitis A cases were confirmed with a positive hepatitis A IgM antibody test throughout NHLS laboratories nationally. “A significant increase in hepatitis A cases was seen in Western Cape Province in the City of Cape Town, Cape Winelands, West Coast and Garden Route districts. Sub-genotype IB was detected in the Western Cape region,” said the Head of the CVI, Dr Nishi Prabdial-Sing.

The common modes of transmission for hepatitis B and C include exposure to infected blood or blood products, invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment, unsafe intravenous drug use and hepatitis B transmission from mother to baby at birth, from family member to child, and also by sexual contact. You can protect yourself against hepatitis B by being vaccinated.

For information, please find links to our informative and inspiring video interviews with COSUP peer educators on hepatitis below:

READ THE FULL MEDIA STATEMENT HERE

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