Dr. Jose Sollano Jr., professor and chief of gastroenterology at the University of Santo Tomas, a recent guest in the weekend medical show Salamat Dok on ABS-CBN, addressed this and other common misconceptions about hepatitis B.
Sollano, president of Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver, said vaccination is important in preventing serious illnesses like hepatitis B, but the vaccine would be useless if the patient is already infected by the virus.
He said vaccines are preventive measures and must never be mistaken as cure or treatment for any disease.
During the TV interview, Sollano called the attention of overseas Filipino workers and their relatives because OFWs are considered high-risk for hepatitis B, especially if they work in areas where hepatitis B is prevalent.
Screening and vaccination are recommended because the Philippines is considered a country of high hepatitis B endemicity.
It is estimated that over eight percent or 8.1 million Filipinos are infected with the hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis B is the most common cause of cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer, and is considered to be 100 times more infectious than HIV/AIDS.
Aside from the standard patient interview by doctors, hepatitis B screening also involves blood tests. For this reason, most children under 12 years of age are given their hepatitis B vaccine shots without prior screening to save them from the stress of having blood extractions for the test. However, they must be under close supervision of their pediatrician.
Women who plan to get pregnant must also be screened for hepatitis B before pregnancy, and must be vaccinated against it if found negative of the virus.
On the other hand, if the mother is already a hepatitis B carrier during pregnancy, the baby must be given the first doses of hepatitis B vaccine upon birth. This is because vertical transmission of the virus is possible from an infected mother to her newborn baby.
Aside from possible transmission from the womb, hepatitis B can also be acquired from blood transfusion, physical contact with open wounds, and sexual intercourse.
Since the virus can survive at least seven days outside the human body, viruses can also be acquired from sharing toothbrushes, needles or razors.
This makes everyone in the family, from babies to parents, susceptible to the illness which the World Health Organization tags as the most common serious liver infection in the world.
"The efficacy of hepatitis B vaccines can last a lifetime, depending on a person’s antibody level. If a person’s immune system is weak, then booster shots are administered especially if he or she is exposed to the virus or in case of an epidemic," Sollano said.
"People who are constantly exposed to the virus are those who work in hospitals and clinics like health workers who attend to hepatitis B patients and who are prone to needle stick injuries," he added.
For children, the hepatitis B vaccine is most effective when administered routinely as part of the infant immunization schedule. It is now available as part of pediatric combination vaccines in many countries.
In the Philippines, companies like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) work with doctors and hospitals in communicating to the public the importance of hepatitis B prevention through vaccination at birth and vaccination of all family members.
Sollano reiterated the recommendation of taking the hepatitis B screening tests in those older than 12 years old before taking the vaccine to ensure effective protection against this fatal disease.
Hepatitis B vaccines can now be administered to every member of the family through Family Vaccines made available in hospitals and clinics.
Salamat Dok invited 100 OFWs to visit the ABS-CBN studio during that particular episode to receive free hepatitis B screening courtesy of Hi Precision Diagnostics Center. (For inquiries on hepatitis B screening and vaccination, call Hi-Precision at 413-7950 or consult your physician).
All medical professionals or healthcare providers have a chance to learn more about managing and preventing hepatitis B during the first Hepatitis B Summit to be held on Feb. 22 at the Dusit Hotel.
Pre-registration is a must. Interested parties may call the hotline at 892-1782 for details and registration.