Hepatitis B and C
The issue
Chronic viral hepatitis infections usually caused by hepatitis type
C (HCV) or less frequently
hepatitis type B (HBV) are deadly diseases that attack the liver.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) estimates that globally 170 million people are chronically
infected with HCV and that 3
to 4 million are newly infected each year. HBV, which is 50 to 100
times more infectious than
HIV, has infected about 2 billion people worldwide, and 350 million
live with chronic infection.
According to the WHO, HBV kills 600,000 people every year, and about
25% of adults who
become infected during childhood later die of the disease.
HBV and HCV are spread primarily by direct contact with human blood. The major causes of infection worldwide are use of unscreened blood transfusions and reuse of needles and syringes that have not been adequately sterilized. High-risk groups include injecting drug users, recipients of unscreened blood, hemophiliacs, dialysis patients, and persons with multiple sex partners who engage in unprotected sex.
HCV
According to the WHO, as many as 2 to 4 million people in the United States are chronically infected with HCV, 5 to 10 million in Europe, and about 12 million in India, and most do not know they are infected. About 150,000 new cases occur annually in the U.S. and in western Europe, and about 350,000 in Japan. Of these, one-quarter become symptomatic, with up to 80% progressing into chronic liver disease, and of those, 20% develop cirrhosis. Up to 7% of patients ultimately die of the consequences of the infection. Egypt is particularly hard hit, with higher rates of the disease than neighboring countries (as well as other countries in the world with comparable socioeconomic conditions and hygienic standards), and Italy is also disproportionately affected.
No vaccine is currently available to prevent hepatitis C, and treatment is too costly for most people in developing countries. Thus, from a global perspective, the greatest impact on hepatitis C disease burden will likely be achieved by focusing efforts on reducing the risk of HCV transmission from nosocomial exposures (eg, blood transfusions, unsafe injection practices) and high-risk behaviors (eg, injection drug use).
HBV
Hepatitis B is endemic in China and other parts of Asia, where most infections occur during childhood. In these regions, 8% to 10% of the adult population is chronically infected. In fact, liver cancer caused by HBV is among the first three causes of death from cancer in men, and a major cause of cancer in women. High rates of chronic infections are also found in the Amazon and the southern parts of eastern and central Europe. In the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, an estimated 2% to 5% of the general population is chronically infected, whereas less than 1% of the population in western Europe and North America is chronically infected.
What we are doing about it
ViveBio is working with collaborators to utilize its solutions in the diagnosis and treatment of HBV and HCV.