Friday, 20 December 2013, 8:37 pm
Press Release: Citizen News Service
Partners-in-crime: HIV and Hepatitis B Virus
(HBV)
Bobby Ramakant, Citizen News Service – CNS
AIDS is just one of the manifestations of HIV, said a
veteran health advocate. A range of co-infections and
co-morbidities also need as much attention as AIDS-related
treatment and care. HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV)
co-infection was in spotlight at the 6th National Conference
of AIDS Society of India (ASICON 2013). HBV is a viral
infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute
and chronic disease. Mode of transmission of HBV and HIV
both are similar: they get transmitted through contact with
the blood or other body fluids with high viral load of an
infected person. About 600,000 people die every year due to
the consequences of HBV.
HBV like HIV presents an
elevated risk of occupational exposure to healthcare
workers. The silver lining is that HBV is preventable with
the currently available safe and effective vaccine, said Dr
SK Guha, Professor, Department of Tropical Medicine,
Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, who was speaking at
the 6th National Conference of AIDS Society of India (ASICON
2013).
Read more...
Labels: HIV/HBV coinfection