Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The government is trying to develop medicines to prevent the attacks of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which kills around 0.5 million people across the country every year, a BSMMU teacher said.
Dr Mamun-al-Mahtab, associate professor of Hepatology at Bangladesh Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), was addressing a discussion on Friday organized on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day. The day will be observed Saturday.
Dr Mahtab said creating awareness among people and checking reuse of syringes could check the HBV infections a great deal.
About 5.4 percent of the country's population is infected with HBV, and 0.8 percent people have Hepatitis C virus. The viruses are responsible for chronic liver inflammation and liver cirrhosis.
A person with HBV usually did not expose any symptoms for years, according to the discussants. It can cause chronic liver inflammation and even liver cirrhosis, but the infected person might not feel the presence of the virus.
Only at an advanced stage, the patient can detect the symptoms, but by that time the liver no longer functions normally, they said.
BBN/SSR/AD-28July12-11:13 am (BST)
