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Hepatitis
What is Viral Hepatitis?
- Viral hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by one or more of the five main hepatic viruses; A, B, C, D and E. These viruses have similar symptoms and have the potential to cause liver disease to varying degrees; however, they vary significantly in terms of epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment and care. Hepatitis is a major global health problem with over five hundred million (500,000,000) patients chronically infected and causing over one million (1,000,000) deaths annually.
- Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest burden of viral hepatitis with a prevalence of 11% of Hepatitis B and 2.2% of Hepatitis C.
- The level of knowledge of viral hepatitis remains low amongst Nigerians despite the fact that it is, a leading infectious cause of death and claims the lives of many each year.
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