The Center for Digestive and Liver Disease at Kasturba Hospital in Manipal in an effort to create awareness among the general public will be observing “Hepatitis B Eradication Day 2007” and “Hepatitis B Screening Week” from July 16 to July 21 at its premises between 10 am and 4 pm.

According to a press release, the Center for Digestive and Liver Disease is equipped with state-of-art facilities and the special screening package will be made available at a cost of Rs 495.  The release stated that about 350 million people worldwide suffer from Hepatitis B which kills 2 million annually.

Hepatitis B virus is probably the most important chronic viral infection affecting Indians, the release stated and added that despite the development of an effective vaccine against Hepatitis B virus, the infection remains a serious threat to public health in India.

Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. The liver can become inflamed as a result of infection, a disorder of the immune system, or exposure to alcohol, certain medications, toxins, or poisons.

Symptoms of Hepatitis are generally nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, itching all over the body, pain over the liver (on the right side of the abdomen, under the lower rib cage, jaundice, dark urine, swelling of abdomen etc.)

Treatment is usually started when blood tests indicate that liver functions are deteriorating and the amount of replicating HBV is rising, the press release added.