World Digestive Health Day 2018: Viral Hepatitis: B and C

In 2018 World Digestive Health Day is dedicated to Viral Hepatitis. Every May 29 is celebrated this day in which the intention is to increase and encourage the population to practice a healthy and wholesome diet for the human body, and thereby avoid suffering from digestive diseases. Among the diseases of the digestive system include gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, polyps and colorectal cancer, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, peptic ulcer and hemorrhoids. In a Digestive System practice more than one third of the patients have functional diseases (the most common of these being Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

The Spanish Digestive System Foundation provides extensive information on Hepatitis B and C, the theme chosen for this year’s edition, but first we will explain the origin and objectives of the celebration of this day.

Creation of the day and themes of other years

The World Gastroenterology Organisation (World Gastroenterology Organisation) is in charge of promoting this day worldwide with more than 110 national societies of the Digestive System around the world with more than 50,000 members.

Each year a different theme is chosen to celebrate on the chosen day, and all the activities that take place revolve around this theme.

  • 2017: “Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), navigating evolving treatments in an evolving disease”.
  • 2016: “Diet and gut”.
  • 2015: “Heartburn: a global perspective”.
  • 2014: “Gut bacteria – Importance in health and disease”.
  • 2013: “Liver Cancer: Saving Your Life Tomorrow. Awareness. Prevention. Detection. Treatment.”
  • 2012: “From heartburn to constipation-gastrointestinal symptoms in the community: impact and common interpretation”.
  • 2011: “Enteric Infections, Prevention and Management”.
  • 2010: “Inflammatory Bowel Diseases”.
  • 2009: “Irritable Bowel Syndrome”.

Objectives of the celebration of this World Day

On the other hand, the World Organization of Grastroenterology (OMGE) fights to communicate and offer knowledge for each and every one of the digestive diseases, as well as the healthy habits that people should have in their daily life. The main objectives that are fought for on this day are:

  • To promote the knowledge of digestive disorders worldwide.
  • To increase the number of gastroenterology organizations worldwide.
  • To increase the mechanisms for the detection of any digestive disorder.
  • Getting more financial support to achieve greater development in emerging countries.
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World Digestive Health Day 2018: Hepatitis B and C.

First of all hepatitis B is a disease caused by the infection of a DNA type virus, which infects, inflames and affects the liver. This can trigger a four acute hepatitis B or become chronic.

There are different ways of prevention to maintain a good liver health

  • Vaccinations: all persons with chronic hepatitis B should be vaccinated against hepatitis A, unless the person in question is demonstrably immunized.
  • Diet: maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
  • Alcohol: can increase liver damage, and in patients with chronic hepatitis, alcohol in small amounts can favor the onset of disease.
  • Physical exercise: is beneficial to health but is not an advantageous treatment for patients with hepatitis B.
  • Drugs: It is essential that those affected consult with their specialist about any medication they may need.
  • Herbal medicines: no herb has been shown to improve hepatitis B patients; on the contrary, some may cause severe liver toxicity.

On the other hand, Hepatitis C is a disease caused by the infection of a virus in the liver that causes inflammation of the liver. However, it does not mean that it is a liver disease only, in fact it should be included in the Systemic Diseases that affect the whole organism.

The best existing treatment is the use of several oral drugs that are administered together to achieve high cure rates, sofosbuvir (SovaldiÓ), simeprevir (OlysioÓ), daclatasvir (DaklinzaÓ), the combination of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (ViekiraxÓ), dasabuvir (ExvieraÓ) and the combination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir (HarvoniÓ). On the other hand, pharmaceutical research does not cease in the development of new drugs, so new mixtures will soon be created, such as this combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir (ZepatierÓ) and sofosbuvir and velpatasvir (EpclusaÓ).