WHO Global Report on Access to Hepatitis C Treatment - Focus on Overcoming Barriers

On October 2016, WHO published Global report on access to hepatitis C treatment, focus on overcoming barriers.

Source: WHO

Overview

This is the first-ever global report on treatment access to hepatitis C medicines. The report provides the information that countries and health authorities need to identify the appropriate HCV treatment, and procure it at affordable prices. The report uses the experience of several pioneering countries to demonstrate how barriers to treatment access can be overcome.

It also provides information on the production of new hepatitis C drugs and generic versions worldwide, including where the drugs are registered, where the drugs are patented and where not, and what opportunities countries have under the license agreements that were signed by some companies as well as current pricing of all recommended direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), including by generic companies all over the world.

You could download the report from the link below:

Global report on access to hepatitis C treatment - Focus on overcoming barriers

Sources:

WHO - Global report on access to hepatitis C treatment - Focus on overcoming barriers

Hepatitis C - An Overview

What is Hepatitis?

“Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. Toxins, certain drugs, some diseases, heavy alcohol use, and bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis. Hepatitis is also the name of a family of viral infections that affect the liver; the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.

Source: WHO

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver. It results from infection with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is spread primarily through contact with the blood of an infected person. Hepatitis C can be either “acute” or “chronic.”

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes both acute and chronic infection. Acute HCV infection is usually asymptomatic, and is only very rarely associated with life-threatening disease. About 15–45% of infected persons spontaneously clear the virus within 6 months of infection without any treatment.

The remaining 55–85% of persons will develop chronic HCV infection. Of those with chronic HCV infection, the risk of cirrhosis of the liver is between 15–30% within 20 years.

Acute Hepatitis C virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the Hepatitis C virus. For most people, acute infection leads to chronic infection.

Chronic Hepatitis C virus infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the Hepatitis C virus remains in a person’s body. Hepatitis C virus infection can last a lifetime and lead to serious liver problems, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or liver cancer.

Source: CDC

Key facts

• Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus: the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis infection, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness.

• The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus and the most common modes of infection are through unsafe injection practices, inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.

• Globally, between 130–150 million people globally have chronic hepatitis C infection.

• A significant number of those who are chronically infected will develop liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.

• Approximately 700 000 people die each year from hepatitis C-related liver diseases.

• Antiviral medicines can cure approximately 90% of persons with hepatitis C infection, thereby reducing the risk of death from liver cancer and cirrhosis, but access to diagnosis and treatment is low.

• There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C; however research in this area is ongoing.

It's estimated that around 215,000 people in the UK have hepatitis C.

About 3.5 million people in the U.S. have the disease. But it causes few symptoms, so most of them don't know.

There are many forms of the hepatitis C virus. The most common in the U.S. is type 1. None is more serious than any other, but they respond differently to treatment.

If left untreated, it can sometimes cause serious and potentially life-threatening damage to the liver over many years.

However, with modern treatments it's often possible to cure the infection and most people with it will have a normal life expectancy.

While some people who get infected with Hepatitis C are able to clear, or get rid of, the virus, most people who get infected develop a chronic, or lifelong, infection. Over time, chronic Hepatitis C can lead to serious liver problems including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. But many people can benefit from available treatment options that can eliminate the virus from the body and prevent further liver damage.

Sources:

CDC - Viral Hepatitis - Hepatitis C Information - Hepatitis C FAQs for the Public

CDC - Know More Hepatitis - Campaign Materials - Infographics

CDC - Know More Hepatitis - Hepatitis C and Baby Boomers (1945 - 1965)

CDC - Hepatitis C Testing Infographic

WHO - Media Centre - Hepatitis C

WHO - Global Health Days - Know Hepatitis Act Now

NHS UK - Hepatitis C

Web MD - Hepatitis Health Center

Hepatitis

Last month, on 28 July 2016 was World Hepatitis Day.  To commemorate and 'revive' people awareness, and also to inform where we stand right now regarding the hepatitis issue, WHO published an infographic which contains information and data on the current hepatitis.

Source: WHO

As written on WHO website dated 25 July 2016 - WHO urges countries to take rapid action to improve knowledge about hepatitis, and to increase access to testing and treatment services.  Today, only 1 in 20 people with the disease is being treated.  “The world has ignored hepatitis at its peril,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.  “It is time to mobilize a global response to hepatitis on the scale similar to that generated to fight other like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.”

What is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The condition can be self-limiting or can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer. Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other infections, toxic substances (e.g. alcohol, certain drugs), and autoimmune diseases can also cause hepatitis.

Hepatitis may occur without symptoms, but can lead to jaundice (a yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and conjunctiva of the eyes), poor appetite, and fatigue. Depending on the cause, hepatitis can manifest either as an acute or as a chronic disease.

There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These 5 types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread.

Signs and symptoms

Hepatitis has a broad spectrum of presentations that range from a complete lack of symptoms to severe liver failure.  The acute form of hepatitis, generally caused by viral infection, is characterized by constitutional symptoms that are typically self-limiting. Chronic hepatitis presents similarly, but can manifest signs and symptoms specific to liver dysfunction with long-standing inflammation and damage to the organ. 

If symptoms do develop, they can include:

• muscle and joint pain
• a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
• feeling and being sick
• feeling unusually tired all the time
• a general sense of feeling unwell
• loss of appetite
• abdominal (tummy) pain
• dark urine
• pale, grey-coloured poo
• itchy skin
• yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)

Screening

The purpose of screening for viral hepatitis is to identify people who infected with the disease as early as possible.  This allows for early treatment, which can prevent disease progression, and decreases transmission to others. 

More about Hepatitis...

You could check out WHO Q&A about Hepatitis and others related to Hepatitis here. 

WHO also provides fact sheets about each type of Hepatitis;

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis D

Hepatitis E 

   

To challenge your knowledge about Hepatitis, you could try this quiz. WHO also provide the printable one here. 

For further information, you also could check out the links on the source below.

Source:

WHO-World Hepatitis Day-campaigns 

WHO-What is hepatitis?

WHO-Hepatitis infographic

WHO-Hepatitis quiz (printable)

WHO-Hepatitis quiz 

Wikipedia-Hepatitis 

NHS, UK-Hepatitis