- Currently, Mexico is estimated to have more than 600,000 hepatitis C patients, but there are no official records.
- The main symptoms it produces are: tiredness, pain under the ribs, fever, and jaundice, a yellowing of the complexion.
- According to the Ministry of Health, an estimated 4 in 1,000 Mexicans have the infection, although most are unaware.
A misconception among people is that you should only see a doctor if you feel unwell or in pain. The reality is that any day is a good day to go to the clinic or hospital because some illnesses don’t produce initial symptoms.An obvious example can be seen in Hepatitis C, as it is also on the rise in Mexico.
In this sense, according to Ministry of Health (SSa) An estimated 4 in 1,000 Mexicans are infected with the virus. The downside is that most people don’t know they have the disease, or it takes years to find out they have it.
Leading Hospital in Mexico for Hepatitis C Care and Testing
With this in mind, General Hospital of Mexico (HGM) “Dr. Eduardo Lisega” has established itself as a leader in the field.thanks in part to National Hepatitis C Elimination ProgramLed by a multidisciplinary team from Epidemiology and the Gastroenterology Liver Clinic.
Most cases can be prevented, treated and cured with free treatment. During 2022 alone, the hospital will conduct more than 110,000 rapid tests. A total of 182 patients who tested positive were treated and cured.
world day of opposition 28 july #hepatitis
👁️ Most acute hepatitis causes only mild symptoms, which may even go unnoticed…
👉 But in some cases they can lead to complications and even death. pic.twitter.com/60v24Zxx1z— ISSSTE (@ISSSTE_mx) July 28, 2023
In this regard, “Dr. Manuel Gaia Gonzalez”, an expert in the adult emergency department of the General Hospital. Lydia Suzanne Valdez MoyaThe disease was declared to affect the liver, the organ responsible for functions such as processing nutrients and controlling blood sugar.
The main symptoms of hepatitis C
The most common symptoms of this disease are: Fatigue, pain under the ribs, especially on the right side; fever and jaundice, which is a yellowish tint to the skin; very dark urine and colorless or very light stools.
Expert Gea González explains that hepatitis can develop into cirrhosis and complications such as Hypertension, esophageal varices, encephalopathy, frequent gastrointestinal bleeding, thrombocytopenia, neurological and coagulation disorders.
“There are many types of hepatitis, the most common in Mexico are A, B and C; while others are rare, you have to be aware of them”.
He pointed out that hepatitis A, D and E are generally transmitted through pollutants, saliva, eating contaminated food or improper hand washing; hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease, and hepatitis C is also transmitted by sexual transmission or injection of psychoactive Substances caused by people using contaminated syringes.
Valdez Moya assured that, unlike decades ago, blood is now well controlled in Mexico and people can be confident that they will not become infected as a result of transfusion procedures.
Since 2010, July 28th is World Hepatitis Day. The date was chosen to commemorate the birth of American scientist Baruch Blumberg, Nobel laureate and discoverer of hepatitis B in 1976. The aim is to raise awareness, promote prevention and timely detection to stop the progression of the disease, as cases are diagnosed late in most cases.
Also read:
Hepatitis C in Mexico: More than 22,000 people cured
Mexico’s hepatitis C cases rank second in Latin America
Mexico launches Americas’ first hepatitis C elimination program