Of the five types of hepatitis, the "c" is becoming more common and risky

• In Mexico, one to three percent of the population suffers from this disease, said César Rivera Benítez, of the UNAM School of Medicine
• If hepatitis is diagnosed and treated at time, it can be cured even in a 98 percent of cases

Currently, hepatitis C is the biggest concern among the five types that exist of this disease. Its contagion is more and more frequent and it is estimated that about 71 million people in the world are chronically infected by the virus that causes it.

In Mexico, 1 to 3 percent of the population suffers from this disease, says César Rivera Benítez, a graduate university graduate at UNAM's Faculty of Medicine.

For type "C" there is still no vaccine, and once acquired develop chronic forms that can lead to liver complications in the medium and long terms. The most disturbing is fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, associated with hepatic adenocarcinoma, detailed

However, he clarified, whether hepatitis in any of its types (A, B , C, D or E) is diagnosed and treated As part of the World Day Against Hepatitis, commemorated July 28, the university reported that this disease consists of an inflammatory process of the liver by causes of toxic, infectious, degenerative or neoplastic origin: "Types A and E are acquired orally, through contaminated food, in B and C, the contagion is manifested by transfusions, contact with the mucous membranes, skin piercings, tattoos, the use of contaminated needles and wounds caused by sharp objects; D is acquired when the patient already has chronic hepatitis B and the delta antigen is added to supplement infection (…) vaccines A and B are warned against vaccination, E against good food management, but in C there is no vaccine and it is worrying because in these cases the chronic forms develop. In addition, the spread of C is increasing in intravenous drug users, due to the use of contaminated syringes. "

This year, the theme of the ephemeris is" Hepatitis. It's time to diagnose, treat and cure, "and in that sense, we must recognize that the diagnosis is difficult when it is already a chronic disease because it is often asymptomatic. of risk. In Mexico, the percentage of chronic hepatitis ranges from one to three percent, depending on geographic region, type of community, and risk factors. For example, in the northern border area, where marginal groups use intravenous drugs more frequently, there are more cases and therefore the examination is allowed, "said the infectious disease specialist.

In the case of transfusions, the blood that is given today in hospitals is subjected to tests for antibodies against hepatitis C, so it is virtually impossible to […] be transmitted by this means.

In cases of hepatitis C, there are many between 20 and 30 hundreds of people who suffer from it heal spontaneously, the rest transited to chronic forms that can remain up to 25 years without symptoms, according to the existence of other diseases.

There are treatments that cure hepatitis, but that must be complete, include the environment, treat and avoid risk factors, because if a patient does not change his risky behaviors or his mode can become infected again, concludes the head also of the Infectious Diseases Service of the General Hospital of Mexico.

With the information of the function Conacyt