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Press Release
May 19: World Hepatitis Day
HEPATITIS: MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN AIDS
 WHO: 500 million people infected with Hepatitis B or C
 1.5 mio people die annually from Hepatitis B or C1. Early detection
makes the difference
Hepatitis is one of the most infectious diseases throughout the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that Hepatitis C is four times more
frequent than HIV and AIDS and Hepatitis B is up to 100 times more contagious.
According to the WHO, there are 500 million people throughout the world that live with
chronic hepatitis. Out of this group, million and a half people die every year from the
disease.
Hepatitis produces inflammation of the liver and causes it to stop working correctly.
When the disease becomes chronic (more than 6 months), it produces chronic damage
that may lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and even death.
Hepatitis slowly and silently damages the deliver without any symptoms. The problem
can be seen 20 to 25 years later after being transmitted with the virus when damage to
the liver is very advanced.
“The liver is a very noble organ. It must be damaged up to 75% to produce any type of
symptom. When symptoms appear damage is irreversible”, explained Dr. Michael
Liberman, Roche Medical Manager.
The liver is a necessary organ for human life. It helps digest food, regulate hormonal
levels, metabolizes drugs and alcohol. It also produces substances that fight infections
and remove toxic substances from the body.
1
World Health Organization (WHO)
Protect Yourself: Risk Factors:
According to the World Hepatitis Alliance2 (WHA), 1 out of 12 people throughout the
world is infected with one of two types of the hepatitis B or C virus.
Hepatitis B as well as C may be transmitted through blood transfusions.
Risk factors include:
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Wearing piercings, tattoos, use of intravenous drugs and contaminated needles.
Anyone who received a blood transfusion before 1993 with contaminated blood.
Having sexual relations without a condom or with someone who is contagious
People, whose mothers had hepatitis or may be carriers.
The most frequent symptoms include: fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach ache,
diarrhea, yellow eyes and skin, dark urine and clear feces. These symptoms appear
when the disease is more advanced.
“The idea is to generate awareness with early diagnosis in people that people with
since prevention is the best treatment”, added Dr. Liberman.
Hepatitis B has vaccine. Hepatitis C does not.
Rule Out Any Suspicion: Get Examined Early!
If you are at a high risk of becoming infected with hepatitis or if you think that you were
exposed to the virus due to a risk factor, just take a blood test. It is a simple test that is
not expensive. Many people who are infected do not know it.
There is a cure for both chronic hepatitis B as and C. Treatment is through drugs that
slow down or prevent the virus to damage the liver.
Pegasys (Peginterferon alfa 2a (40KD)) is a drug that works effectively in both cases. It
simulates a substance in the body called Interferon which acts as an immunomodulator,
a regulator for the body´s immune system. It is a direct antiviral agent and directly
attacks the virus and any infections.
2
www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/en/TheWHA.aspx
Treatment is subcutaneous – once a week for approximately one year. It is currently
dispensed by most of the health systems in the region.
Chocolate protects your liver
New studies reveal that eating dark after meals may considerably improve liver
disorders by reducing blood pressure in the liver of cirrhosis patients and considerably
improving the health of patients suffering from this disease.
This data was revealed at the 45th Annual Conference of the European Association for
the Study of the Liver (EASL) held in Vienna, Austria during the last week of April.
According to the study, cocoa has high levels of flavones with antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants have proven to attenuate sudden increases in liver pressure after eating
(vasorelaxation).
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare
with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world’s
largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology,
inflammation, metabolism and central nervous system (CNS). Roche is also the world
leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes
management. Roche’s personalized healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines
and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and
survival of patients. In 2008, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested
almost 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Roche Group posted sales of 45.6 billion
Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Group.
Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information:
www.roche.com.
For more information please visit www.roche.com
Press contact: Erica Vega. E-mail [email protected]; +506 22981579 or +506
8823 5997.
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