In 2023, 274 cases of hepatitis were registered in Aragon.

In 2023, 274 cases of hepatitis were registered in Aragon. Of these, seven cases of hepatitis A were registered, 112 cases of hepatitis B (although only four were acute), 139 cases of hepatitis C (of which seven were acute) and 11 cases of hepatitis E. The remaining five cases were other types of hepatitis.

This Sunday, July 28, World Hepatitis Day is being celebrated under the theme “Time to Act,” which aims to highlight the need for concerted action to increase access to diagnosis and treatment.

In Aragon, in 2023, the incidence of hepatitis A was 0.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the same as the previous year. In turn, the registration rate of hepatitis B increased to 8.4 cases per 100,000, and the incidence of hepatitis C to 10.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. The most common hepatitis viruses in Europe are types A, B, C and E, called HAV, HBV, HCV and HEV.

Chronic hepatitis affects 354 million people worldwide. Although their effects on the liver and the symptoms they cause may be similar, the severity and duration of the disease are determined by the virus that causes it.

While hepatitis A is usually acquired through ingestion of contaminated food or water and causes an acute infection, hepatitis B and C are usually acquired through contact with infected body fluids and can develop into a chronic infection. Together, HBV and HCV are the most common cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer.

PREVENTION IS KEY

Prevention is key to avoiding this disease. In the case of hepatitis A and B, vaccines are available and are the best protection against these infections. C, on the other hand, can now be cured in most cases thanks to direct-acting antiviral drugs.

In Aragon, 4,091 patients with hepatitis C were treated between 2013 and 2023, improving their quality of life and reducing the risk of long-term complications. Of these, 42 were treated twice due to lack of effectiveness the first time.

The regional government’s Directorate of Public Health reported that in 2019 there was a significant increase in notifications under the Hepatitis C Control and Elimination Plan in Aragon, which includes screening of groups at higher risk of contracting HCV.