According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 820,000 people die from complications of hepatitis B each year, most of which are detected late in the early stages.
Symptoms are mild but dangerous. In the early stages, hepatitis B often has no clear signs, making it easy for patients to ignore. Many people with hepatitis B still feel healthy for months, but the virus has quietly attacked the liver, says Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University.
Some early warning symptoms include:
Prolonged fatigue, loss of appetite, especially after greasy meals. Aloeistic pain in the right lower ribs, feeling full and indignant. Golden skin, light yellow eyes, dark urine, silver stools.
Itchy skin, especially at night, due to the buildup of salt and honey. These signs are often easily confused with common digestive disorders or fatigue, causing patients to only detect the disease when it has progressed severely.
According to Dr. Andrew Talal, a geopath at the University of Buffalo (USA): routine screening is the only way to detect hepatitis B early, before the liver is seriously damaged. He recommends that people in high-risk groups, such as having relatives with the disease, having had a blood transfusion, tattooed, or having unsafe sex, should test for HBsAg at least every 6-12 months.
In addition, vaccination against hepatitis B is the most effective preventative measure, helping to reduce the risk of disease by more than 90%. For infected people, adhering to treatment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, limiting alcohol, eating less fat and getting enough sleep helps prevent complications of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Hepatitis B can go silently for many years, but early detection opens up opportunities for long-term treatment and effective disease control. Proactive screening is the "shield" to protect everyone's liver and health.
