Hong Kong people generally do not know much about hepatitis C, and the initial symptoms are mild and easily overlooked, but it can lead to serious complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver fibrosis.
Gastroenterology and liver specialist Huang Lihong concluded that less than half of the patients in Hong Kong knew they were infected.
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, but the direct antiviral drugs (DAA) that have been available in recent years have significant effects, with a cure rate of over 95%.
Huang Lihong called on high-risk individuals to take the initiative to test and receive treatment as soon as possible.
The Liver Care Center of The Chinese University of Hong Kong has provided high-risk groups with a quick test for hepatitis C through the "Liver Exposure Action". So far, more than 350 patients have been identified.
She expects to discover 100 more patients this year and allow 1,700 more people to receive DAA treatment by 2025.
Huang Lihong concluded that the diagnosis rate of hepatitis C in Hong Kong is less than half, and it is estimated that there are actually at least 22,000 infected people.
(Photo by Li Enci)
Gastroenterology and liver specialist Huang Lihong said that there are about 10,000 patients with hepatitis C in Hong Kong.
As the symptoms during the initial stage of the infection, or even decades, are extremely unobvious, she concluded that the diagnosis rate in Hong Kong is less than half, and that there are actually at least 22,000 infected people.
She described: "A lot of patients went to the liver enzymes to rise, there were serious complications, the prophet himself was infected."
The common route of hepatitis C infection is blood contact. The high-risk groups include people who inject drugs with needles and those who have unsafe sex. There are also individuals who have been infected by reusing medical equipment that has not been thoroughly disinfected, such as dental treatments, medical aesthetics, and Tattoo.
Huang Lihong emphasized that the consequences of contracting hepatitis C should not be underestimated.
About 15% to 30% of patients will develop liver cirrhosis within 20 years, and their risk of developing liver cancer is 17 times higher than that of ordinary people. Hepatitis C can also affect other organs, making infected people susceptible to stroke, acute myocardial infarction, diabetes, and lymph. Cancer etc.
The common route of hepatitis C infection is blood contact. The high-risk groups include people who inject drugs with needles and those who have unsafe sex.
(Information Picture/Photographed by Cai Zhengbang)
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. Huang Lihong said that in the past, patients had to rely on "pegylated interferon" injections and oral medications of ribavirin. The cure rate was only about 60%, and anemia, fever, depression, and Side effects such as anxiety are not ideal.
With the advancement of medicine, the direct antiviral drugs (DAA) that have appeared in recent years have significant effects. The course of treatment only takes 8 to 12 weeks, the cure rate is more than 95%, and the side effects are significantly reduced.
Huang Lihong explained that patients with liver cirrhosis will have more side effects after taking the medicine, but less than 1% of patients are so seriously ill.
DAA can be divided into two types, one is for genotypes 1 and 4 hepatitis C, and the other is suitable for all genotypes. Some patients need to take ribavirin at the same time.
The Liver Care Center of The Chinese University of Hong Kong has launched the "Liver Brightening Campaign" in 2009.
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According to data from the Hong Kong Society of Liver Diseases, as of March 2017, the diagnosis rate and treatment rate of hepatitis C in Hong Kong are expected to be 50.9% and 12.4%, respectively, which means that 80% of patients have not received treatment.
Huang Lihong explained that in the past, fewer patients met the treatment threshold, and more than half of them were reluctant to take interferon and ribavirin.
The government earlier formulated the "Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2020-2024". The HA has now provided more hepatitis tests and provided free treatment for all chronic hepatitis C patients, that is, more patients can receive DAA treatment.
The CUHK Liver Care Center started the "Liver Brightening Campaign" in 2009 and has cooperated with a number of community organizations to go deep into the gathering places of high-risk groups and provide them with a "finger" hepatitis C rapid test. So far, more than 350 patients have been identified.
Huang Lihong hopes that 100 more infected people can be detected through the plan this year.
The patient will be referred for detailed examination and further treatment. She hopes to provide DAA treatment to more than 1,700 patients by 2025.
"Start treatment one year later, and the complications will increase." She urged high-risk people to take the initiative to test and receive treatment as soon as possible.
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