HEPATITIS B VIRUS - A Disease Fact File

In Calabar, Nigeria, nine of 749 students who were selected from 6 secondary schools, aged 11 years to 19 years and screened for the Hepatitis B virus were found to be positive for the HBsAg, which translates to an overall prevalence of 1.2% amongst the strata of the population they belong to in the Calabar locale of Nigeria (JM Ikobah, HC Okpara, et al 2016). In the cited study, the sex-specific prevalence of the virus in the test sample was 0.8% for males and 1.8% for females (Ikobah JM Ikobah JM, HC Okpara 2016, et al). Furthermore, also in Nigeria, the pooled prevalence of the virus among subgroups was 14.0% for blood donors, 14.1% for pregnant women attending antenatal clinics, 11.5% for children, 14.0% among adults and 16.0% for studies evaluating adults and children. The HBV prevalence in Nigeria varies by screening method (B Musa, S Bussel 2015, et al). Acute infection with the HBV and HCV can lead to chronic infection. Patients who are chronically infected may go on to develop cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Also, chronic Hepatitis carriers remain infectious and may transmit the disease to other people for many years.

HBV is transmitted both parenterally and sexually, most often by mucous membrane exposure or percutaneous exposure to infectious body fluid. Saliva, serum, and semen all have been determined to be infectious (CDC 2017, WHO 2017).

Globally, viral Hepatitis was the seventh leading cause of death in 2013, up from the 10th leading cause in 1990 (JD Stanaway, AD Flaxman, et al 2013). About 2 billion people in the world have evidence of past or current HBV infection, with 240 million of them as chronic carriers of the Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs.Ag) (WHO, 2015). The HBV leads to 650,000 death annually as a result of viral Hepatitis-induced liver disease (WHO, 2015). The prevalence rate of the HBV in Nigeria is 10-15% across the country (Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria), with about 22 million people standing as infected.

Most people do not experience any symptom when newly infected. However, some infected people present acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks, including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. A small subset of persons with acute Hepatitis can develop acute liver failure, which can lead to death. It is advisable for infected individuals to avoid self-medication, but to instead, present themselves at the hospital for proper clinical examination and diagnosis.

There is no specific treatment for acute Hepatitis B. Therefore, care is aimed at maintaining comfort and adequate nutritional balance, including replacement of fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhea. Most important is the avoidance of unnecessary medication. Chronic Hepatitis B infection can be treated with medicines. Treatment can slow the progression of cirrhosis, reduce incidence of liver cancer and improve long term survival.

HBV infection can be prevented by observing/implementing the measures below:

Considering the statistical data presented above, i.e. that about 22 million persons are infected with the HBV in Nigeria, one will agree with us that the fight against the HBV in Nigeria must be a joint commitment by all. The government, private sector, the general public and other relevant stakeholders, all have a part to play to make the 'fight against the HBV' a success story in Nigeria. As a worthy stakeholder in the Nigerian health cause, Rosemund Pharmaceuticals Limited’s role includes the dissemination of valid and relevant general public education regarding the HBV infection through awareness campaign program, and of course, to provide a relevant pharmacological agent to other relevant stakeholders in the treatment/management of persons with chronic Hepatitis B infections. The said role extends to our call to the government, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to avail themselves with what we offer in aid of the fight against HBV in Nigeria. These, are indeed why we invite relevant stakeholders to take a good look at and get to know our pharmacotherapeutic agent, TEXAVIR in the fight against Hepatitis B disease. TAXAVIR is duly registered by the NAFDAC for distribution and use in Nigeria.

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