LAHORE, June 24: Senior medical consultants says the hepatitis virus carrier rate in Pakistan is very high and can pose a major health challenge, if not prevented immediately.

Prof Javed Akram of Mayo Hospital, Prof Abul Fazal Khan of Jinnah Hospital and Prof Shaheena Asif of the Lahore Medical and Dental College gave some valuable advices at a news conference organized by The Saviours Club at the Lahore Press Club on Friday.

Prof Akram said Pakistan figured in the highly prevalent area of hepatitis, as almost 10 per cent of the population was carrier its viruses. He said prevention was the key to meet the biggest health challenge.

He said it was a worrying fact that most of the hepatitis virus carriers did not know that they were spreading it unconsciously.

Stating that there were different hepatitis viruses ranging from A to F, Prof Akram pointed out that the common cause of the disease in Pakistan was virus that affected human body through use of contaminated water, unhygienic food, infected blood and instruments, besides unnecessary clinical practices.

He said hepatitis-A and E were caused by contaminated water and unhygienic food, which was cured automatically. He, however, said the incidence of hepatitis-E among pregnant women was lethal in most of the cases.

He said the hepatitis-B and C were caused by infected surgical instruments, including syringes, and re-use of blades by barbers. He said it was unfortunate that infectious hospital waste was still being sold and re-used.

He said effective vaccine was available to prevent hepatitis-B, which children must be administered.

According to a survey, Prof Akram said, it was found that hepatitis-C prevalence had almost become an epidemic in Gujranwala and Wazirabad areas. He said the survey results showed that pricking of nose, ear and tattoos at different functions by infected instruments and circumcision by barbers were the major reasons for hepatitis C prevalence.

He said no vaccine was available to prevent hepatitis-C virus, adding that prevention was the only key to avoid it.

Answering a question, he advised the people to use boiled water for drinking as a majority of population could not afford mineral water. He, however, said a legislation was needed to keep the prices of bottled mineral water under control.

Replying to another question, he said the filtered water could not be taken as purely safe owing to non-validation of filters.

In order to prevent this disease, he urged the people not to get their bodies pricked unnecessarily. He also called for a check on mushroom growth of blood banks, besides strict implementation of blood screening before transfusion.

Prof Shaheena Asif said the figure (of 10 per cent) hepatitis carrier rate was just representative, as it was determined from people coming to hospitals. She claimed that the hepatitis carrier rate in private hospitals was one out of 10 patients, while in general hospitals, which cater to the people living in slums and rural areas, the rate was one out of four patients.

She said a man with hepatitis-C also affected his wife through sexual contact and it also get transferred to the newborn babies.

Prof Shaheena said hepatitis-E, which normally cures itself, was highly dangerous for pregnant women. She said 90 per cent of the pregnant women and newborns died of hepatitis-E.