Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C Prevention

It is not always be possible to prevent the infection even after taking preventive measures, yet one should not tend to ignore them. Preventive measures are nearly the same for all types of hepatitis. Common points are:

• Always wash your hands with soap before taking meals. Hands must be washed with soap after using the toilet even you are not going for meals.
• Eating from unhygienic places is obviously not desirable.
• Personal care items of infected person i.e. tooth brush, shaving blade, towel, handkerchief etc. should not be used by others.
• Use boiled water as far as possible.
• Avoid sexual contact with infected person.
• Using used syringe for any injection can be very dangerous. You must avoid them.
• Receiving blood from habitual donors can put you at a very high risk.
• Never donate blood if you are infected.
• If you are considering body piercing like nose and ears etc, think of the risk involved.
• Keep your diet balanced and avoid overeating.

Additional points for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C

• Modern medical system has the vaccine for protection against Hepatitis B but once a person is affected and becomes HBV+, the vaccination becomes ineffective. So have the vaccination done before the infection takes place.
• There is no preventive vaccine yet for hepatitis C.
• Persistent anger, mental tension, worries and sadness also provoke Hepatitis. Try to remain cheerful.

If you live in or happen to visit high risk areas, consider vaccination for Hepatitis B. Even if you have been vaccinated, do not lose sight of preventive measures.