According to information from the World Health Organization for 2022, there are approximately 254 million cases of chronic hepatitis B registered worldwide. Each year, 1.2 million new cases are recorded, and the number of deaths related to the disease exceeds 1 million.
"In countries with a high prevalence of hepatitis B, the main route of transmission is vertical transmission—from mother to child. However, thanks to the vaccination of newborns in Kyrgyzstan, the number of such cases is minimal. The virus can also be transmitted parenterally and sexually. Usually, if an adult becomes infected, the disease can manifest acutely, and only 5% of them develop a chronic form," noted Sarymsakov.
He added that more than half of patients with hepatitis B are asymptomatic. Only a small group may exhibit symptoms such as jaundice and dark urine. Timely diagnosis and treatment allow for disease control.
According to the specialist, if a patient with hepatitis B becomes infected with hepatitis D, it significantly accelerates the development of liver cirrhosis.
For the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in the country, medications such as tenofovir, tenofovir alafenamide, and entecavir are used. Typically, treatment should continue for a lifetime, and more than 50% of people with chronic hepatitis B require therapy.
As for hepatitis D, until recently, the only available treatment was interferon; however, its effectiveness is low, and side effects are significant. "Recently, the European Medicines Agency approved a new drug—bulevirtide, which blocks the virus from entering liver cells and is used in combination with other medications," the doctor reported. However, in Kyrgyzstan, according to him, new drugs for the treatment of hepatitis D are still unavailable.
