Practitioners Section - VIRAL HEPATITIS (Part - I)

During the first half of 20th century viral etiology of hepatitis was established. Viral hepatitis causes a set of typical clinical biochemical and histological changes with or without icterus resulting from hepatic cell damage. It may be acute or chronic. It is a global disease of major public health importance. At a current estimate more than 300 million people worldwide suffer from viral hepatitis. Nearly 300 deaths per year attributed to fulminant acute disease and some 15,000 persons succumb each year to chronic liver disease. The acute form causes considerable morbidity and mortality and the chronic sequelae may play a havoc resulting in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Viral hepatitisis thus a major public health problem in all parts of the world. The disease has an enormous impact on health and national economy of many countries including India.^1-3